ninii"" 


V 


y 


FROM  A PORTRAIT  OF  B.  H.  LATROBE. 
In  the  possession  of  Ferdinand  C.  Latrobe,  Esq. 


The 


JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 

Being  the  Notes  and  Sketches  of  an  Architect , Naturalist  and 
Traveler  in  the  United  States  from  IJ()6  to  1820 


BY 

BENJAMIN  HENRY  LATROBE 

Architect  of  the  Capitol  at  Washington 


WITH  AN  INTRODUCTION  BY 
J.  H.  B.  LATROBE 


NEW  YORK 

D.  APPLETON  AND  COMPANY 
1905 

iletoener  BYoo  Idcrarr, 


Copyright,  1905,  by 

D.  APPLETON  AND  COMPANY 


Published  November,  1905 


°\n^> 

L'bi 


32883 


CONTENTS 


Introduction  ....... 

Foreword  ........ 

CHAPTER 

I. — Virginia  and  Its  People  : With  Comments  upon 
Hospitality,  and  some  Strange  Acquaintances 
II. — Virginia  and  Its  People — Continued  . 

III.  — A Visit  to  Washington  at  Mt.  Vernon  . 

IV.  — Thoughts  on  National  System  of  Education 

V. — Philadelphia  ....... 

VI. — The  Habits  of  Certain  Virginia  Insects 

VII. — The  Building  of  the  National  Capitol,  with 
Expressions  of  the  Author’s  Canons  of  Art  . 

VIII. — By  Sea  to  New  Orleans  . . . . . 

IX. — New  Orleans  and  Its  People  . 

X.  — Peculiar  Customs  : With  some  Disjecta  Membra 

upon  Art  Conventions  . . . . . 

XI.  — Louisiana  Limitations  . 

XII. — Fragmentary  Criticism  . 


PAGE 

vii 

xli 

3° 

50 

65 

83 

99 

114 

152 

169 

!94 

225 

246 


111 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2016 


https://archive.org/details/journaloflatrobe00latr_0 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 


From  a Portrait  of  B.  H.  Latrobe 

Frontispiece 

PAGE 

Sketch  of  Edmund  Randolph  .... 

. 

I 2 

James  River  Falls  ...... 

. Facing 

22 

Travel  on  Horseback  in  Virginia 

. 

27 

Billiards  at  a Country  Tavern  .... 

. Facing 

32 

**  An  Attempt  at  the  Features  of  Patrick  Henry  ” . 

• 

44 

View  of  the  Town  of  Norfolk  from  Town  Point  in 

1796  Facing 

46 

View  of  Mount  Vernon,  Looking  to  the  Southwest 

. Facing 

52 

Sketch  of  George  Washington  .... 

. Facing 

54 

Sketch  of  a Classic  Group  at  Mount  Vernon 

. Facing 

58 

Another  Classic  Group  at  Mount  Vernon 

. Facing 

62 

Mount  Vernon,  Looking  to  the  North,  July  17,  1796  . Facing 
View  of  the  City  of  Richmond  from  the  Banks  of  the  James 

68 

River  in  1796  ..... 

. Facing 

72 

Buckhalter’s  Ferry  on  the  Susquehanna 

. Facing 

78 

The  Schuylkill  River  Below  the  Falls 

. Facing 

86 

A Study  of  Heads  ...... 

• 

90 

“A  Whig  Reading  a Tory  Paper”  . 

93 

The  Schuylkill  River  Opposite  Wissahickon  . 

. Facing 

96 

Dirt-Daubers*  Cells  ..... 

. Facing 

108 

Sketch  of  the  Capitol,  from  the  West  . 

. Facing 

1 1 8 

Unfinished  Sketch  of  the  Capitol,  from  the  East  . 

. Facing 

122 

v 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 


West  Elevation  of  the  Capitol  at  Washington 

. Facing 

128 

Pennsylvania  Avenue  in  1 8 1 3 . 

. Facing 

134 

South  Elevation  of  the  President’s  House 

. Facing 

138 

A Conversation  at  Sea  ..... 

. Facing 

154 

Storm  in  the  Gulf,  en  route  to  New  Orleans 

. Facing 

l6o 

View  from  a Window  of  Tremoulet’s  Hotel,  New  Orleans  Facing 

172 

A New  Orleans  Cemetery  .... 

. Facing 

198 

A Street  in  New  Orleans  .... 

. Facing 

212 

View  of  the  Balize  at  the  Mouth  of  the  Mississippi 
Sketch  of  the  Statue  of  the  Right  Honorable 

. Facing 

Norborne 

232 

Berkeley  ...... 

. Facing 

250 

vi 


INTRODUCTION 


Benjamin  henry  latrobe,  the  subject 

of  the  present  brief  memoirs,  was  the  young- 
est son  of  the  Rev.  Benjamin  Latrobe  and 
Ann  Margaret  Nutis — the  former  an  English  clergy- 
man of  the  Moravian  faith,  eminently  distinguished 
for  his  talents  and  many  virtues,  and  the  latter  the 
daughter  of  a gentleman  of  Pennsylvania.  The  family 
name  was  Boneval,  that  of  Latrobe  belonging  to  a 
younger  branch  which  emigrated  to  England  from 
France  during  the  persecution  of  the  Huguenots.  For 
the  curious  in  these  matters  it  may  be  here  mentioned 
that  the  last  of  the  elder  branch  was  Count  of  Limou- 
sin, whose  life  throughout  was  more  of  a romance  than 
a reality. 

The  family  of  Nutis,  into  which  the  elder  Mr. 
Latrobe  married,  was  closely  related  to  David  Ritten- 
house*  whose  knowledge  and  success,  self-acquired, 
have  gained  for  him  so  extended  a reputation.  Col. 
Frederick  Nutis,  the  brother  of  Mrs.  Latrobe,  distin- 
guished himself  as  a partisan  chief  during  the  Revo- 
lutionary War,  and,  with  a price  set  upon  his  head 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 

by  Lord  Howe,  was  untiring  and  successful  in  his 
opposition  to  the  British  arms.  Miss  Nutis  had  been 
sent  from  Pennsylvania  by  her  parents,  who  were  Mo- 
ravians, to  be  educated  in  Germany,  at  one  of  the 
establishments  of  the  United  Brethren  in  that  country, 
and  meeting,  while  there,  with  Mr.  Latrobe,  they  were 
married  about  the  year  1755.  The  fruits  of  this  mar- 
riage were  three  sons. 

In  looking  back  to  the  early  history  of  an  indi- 
vidual who  has  distinguished  himself  in  any  particular 
department  of  science  or  art,  it  is  interesting  to  observe 
the  indications,  which  sometimes  present  themselves 
even  at  the  tenderest  age,  of  his  future  career.  An 
instance  is  the  oft-repeated  and  well-known  story  of 
West’s  first  attempt  at  portrait  painting,  as  he  endeav- 
ored to  copy  the  features  of  the  infant  that,  when  a 
boy,  he  was  set  to  watch.  The  childhood  of  Mr. 
Latrobe,  which  until  eleven  years  of  age  was  spent 
chiefly  at  school  in  Yorkshire,  was  marked  by  his  fond- 
ness for  his  pencil;  and  there  is  now  in  the  possession 
of  his  family  a drawing  of  Kirkstall  Abbey,  from  na- 
ture, made  by  him  in  his  tenth  year,  the  accuracy  and 
force  of  which,  in  all  its  Gothic  details,  would  do  credit 
to  any  artist.  Various  other  drawings,  made  about  the 
same  time,  and  all  of  architectural  subjects,  prove  him, 
at  this  early  age,  to  have  possessed  a correctness  of  eye 
and  a force  and  facility  of  delineation  which  are  not 
easily  attained  until  after  years  of  constant  practice. 

viii 


INTRODUCTION 


In  his  eleventh  or  twelfth  year  he  was  sent  to  Saxony, 
to  a Moravian  seminary,  where  he  remained  for  some 
time  and  until  sufficiently  advanced  in  his  education  to 
become  a student  at  the  University  of  Leipsic,  then  the 
most  celebrated  on  the  continent  of  Europe.  Here  he 
remained  for  nearly  three  years,  during  which  time  he 
devoted  himself  with  the  most  intense  application  to 
the  acquisition  of  knowledge  of  every  kind.  There  was 
scarcely  anything  that  he  did  not  attempt  for  which 
he  could  provide  the  facilities  of  instruction,  and,  being 
well  grounded  in  elementary  knowledge  when  he  en- 
tered the  university,  aided  by  the  book  masters,  and 
possessing  uncommon  perseverance  and  a remarkable 
memory,  there  were  few  things  that  he  attempted 
which  he  did  not  succeed  in  acquiring. 

In  1785  Mr.  Latrobe,  being  then  in  his  eight- 
eenth year,  left  the  university,  and  passed  some  months 
in  traveling  through  Germany.  Meeting  with  some 
friends,  English  and  Prussian,  whom  he  had  known  at 
Leipsic,  they  agreed,  in  a wild  spirit  of  adventure,  to 
make  a campaign  with  the  Prussian  army,  and  through 
the  influence  of  their  friends  obtained  subaltern  com- 
missions. Mr.  Latrobe’s  was  a company  of  hussars; 
and  after  two  hard-fought  skirmishes,  in  the  last  of 
which  he  was  severely  wounded,  his  friends  and  him- 
self found  the  curiosity  which  had  led  them  into  this 
youthful  and  dangerous  folly  gratified,  and  resigned 
from  any  further  participation  in  a contest  in  which 


ix 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


the  most  of  them  had  no  possible  interest  to  advance 
or  serve.  One  of  Mr.  Latrobe’s  friends  during  his 
brief  campaign  was  afterwards  a distinguished  officer 
in  the  army  of  the  United  States.  After  recovering 
from  the  effects  of  his  wound  he  made  the  tour  of 
Europe,  and  acquired  that  intimate  knowledge  of  the 
works  of  the  great  masters  in  architecture  which  dis- 
tinguished him  in  his  own  subsequent  career. 

In  the  latter  part  of  1786  Mr.  Latrobe  returned 
to  England,  in  his  nineteenth  year,  in  time  to  be  present 
at  the  last  illness  of  his  father.  After  this  he  resided 
for  several  years  in  London  with  his  elder  brother, 
during  which  time  he  assiduously  devoted  himself  to 
the  acquisition  of  knowledge,  aiming,  as  in  Leipsic,  at 
everything  within  his  reach.  He  mixed  much  in  the 
best  society  of  England,  to  which  the  character  of  his 
father  provided  him  a ready  access,  and  formed  friend- 
ships and  acquaintances  with  the  distinguished  literary 
and  scientific  men  of  his  day,  which  were,  many  of 
them,  continued  during  his  life. 

After  being  for  some  time  in  England,  he  deter- 
mined to  choose  and  study  a profession,  and  guided  by 
his  tastes  and  propensities,  fresh  too  from  the  works 
of  art  of  the  Continent,  he  adopted  that  of  architecture 
and  civil  engineering,  and  concentrated  all  his  energies 
upon  the  acquisition  of  the  necessary  practical  infor- 
mation. All  this  time  the  celebrated  Smeaton  was  still 
alive,  and  although  he  had  retired  from  the  active 


x 


INTRODUCTION 


practice  of  his  profession,  he  was  still  in  the  full  vigor 
of  his  mental  powers,  preparing  for  publication  those 
works  which  have  done  so  much  toward  establishing 
his  high  reputation.  With  him  Mr.  Latrobe  was  inti- 
mate, and  had  the  benefit  of  his  advice  and  experience 
in  the  prosecution  of  his  present  studies.  In  1787  or 
1788 — it  is  uncertain  which — he  entered  the  office  of 
Mr.  Cockrell,  then  considered  one  of  the  best  archi- 
tects in  London.  His  previous  classic  education,  his 
skill  with  his  pencil,  his  profound  mathematical  knowl- 
edge, and  his  acquaintance  with  the  great  buildings  of 
the  Continent  gave  him  most  decided  advantages  over 
all  around  him;  and  anecdotes  are  still  extant  showing 
the  great  facility  which  he  soon  acquired  in  all  the 
practical  knowledge  of  a draughtsman  and  calculator. 
Under  these  circumstances  the  period  of  his  probation 
in  Mr.  Cockrell’s  office  was  comparatively  short,  and 
as  his  labors  knew  no  relaxation  while  engaged  in  it, 
he  soon  found  himself  competent  to  commence  the 
practice  of  the  profession  which  he  had  adopted. 

In  a short  time  after  he  left  Mr.  Cockrell’s  office 
Mr.  Latrobe  found  ample  employment  offered  him  as 
an  architect  and  civil  engineer,  and  was  appointed 
Surveyor  of  the  Public  Offices,  in  London.  In  1790 
he  was  married  to  Miss  Lydia  Sellon,  the  daughter  of 
the  learned  Dr.  Sellon,  and  the  sister  of  Mr.  John 
Sellon,  a lawyer  of  eminence,  whose  work  in  the  prac- 
tice of  the  courts  is  well  known  both  in  England  and 


XI 


T 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 

America.  In  a memorandum  in  the  possession  of  the 
writer  of  this  memoir,  Mr.  Latrobe,  speaking  of  him- 
self about  this  time,  makes  mention  of  the  uncommon 
rapidity  with  which  he  succeeded  in  his  profession 
when  he  had  not  been  engaged  in  the  practice  of  it 
more  than  a year  or  eighteen  months.  The  same  suc- 
cesses continued  to  attend  him  during  his  residence  in 
London.  In  a letter  written  to  his  brother,  after  he 
reached  America,  he  narrates  the  following  anecdote, 
which  shows  that  at  the  same  time  he  must  have 
acquired  considerable  reputation  as  a professional 
man: 

11  Mr.  Ton  (Charles  I.  Ton)  on  one  occasion  paid 
me  the  highest  compliment  I had  yet  received;  for, 
although  only  slightly  introduced  to  him,  he  recognized 
me  on  Pall  Mall,  took  me  into  a coffee-house  and  con- 
versed with  me  on  all  sorts  of  things,  and  the  next  day, 
when  the  tax  on  bricks  was  proposed,  sent  for  me  and 
obtained  from  me,  in  a manner  I shall  never  forget, 
all  the  information  on  the  subject  of  bricks  and  brick 
houses  which  I possessed,  and,  while  he  received  infor- 
mation from  me,  opened  my  mind  to  so  many  new 
views  that  I have  ever  since  been  the  better  for  this 
tete-a-tete .” 

By  his  marriage  with  Miss  Sellon,  Mr.  Latrobe 
had  two  children,  a son  and  a daughter.  In  1793 
Mrs.  Latrobe  died,  leaving  her  husband  plunged  in  the 
deepest  affliction;  and  her  loss  may  be  considered  as 


INTRODUCTION 


among  the  chief  causes  of  his  leaving  England  for 
America  at  a time  when  his  profession  in  the  former 
country  offered  him  every  inducement  to  remain  there. 
In  the  numerous  papers  that  he  has  left  there  are  con- 
stant allusions  to  this  sad  event  as  having  broken  in 
upon  all  his  prospects  and  having  rendered  distasteful 
to  him  the  presence  of  the  objects  and  the  society  with 
which  her  memory  was  inseparably  connected.  Other 
matters  combined  to  determine  him  to  make  his  future 
home  on  this  side  of  the  Atlantic. 

It  is  not  to  be  supposed  that  one  of  Mr.  Latrobe’s 
education  and  acquirements  should  have  been  so  much 
immersed  in  the  daily  occupations  of  his  particular 
profession  as  to  take  no  note  of  the  politics  of  the 
stirring  times  in  England,  when  Pitt,  Fox,  Burke,  and 
Sheridan,  with  the  talent  that  surrounded  them,  fixed 
the  attention  of  the  whole  civilized  world.  On  the 
contrary,  Mr.  Latrobe  took  a deep  interest  in  the  agi- 
tating discussions  of  this  time,  and  although  the  atten- 
tion that  his  business  required  prevented  him  from 
mingling  personally  in  any  of  the  proceedings  of  the 
day,  the  new  doctrines  of  government  that  were  then 
in  the  mouths  of  most  men  made  strong  impressions 
upon  him,  and  the  natural  bent  of  his  mind  so  inclin- 
ing him,  he  espoused  the  side  of  liberal  principles,  and 
was  among  those  who  looked  to  America  as  the  scene 
of  that  mighty  experiment  in  government  which  has 
been  since  so  successfully  accomplished.  It  was  the 

xiii 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 

home,  too,  of  his  maternal  ancestors.  By  parentage 
he  was  already  half  an  American;  and  these  considera- 
tions operating  upon  him  at  a time  when  the  powerful 
recollections  of  his  domestic  loss  weighed  down  his 
spirits,  as  though  it  would  not  be  shaken  off,  he  deter- 
mined to  cross  the  Atlantic  and  devote  his  talents  to 
his  professional  advancement  in  the  United  States, 
Having  once  formed  his  resolution,  he  at  once  pro- 
ceeded to  carry  it  into  effect.  He  completed  the  works 
he  was  engaged  in  in  England,  declined  the  office  of 
Surveyor  to  the  Crown,  with  a salary  of  £1,000  per 
annum,  disposed  of  his  patrimonial  estate,  and  on  the 
25th  of  November,  1795,  left  the  country  of  his  birth 
forever.  It  is  a matter  of  regret  to  his  biographer  that 
there  is  nothing  to  enable  him  to  refer  with  any  cer- 
tainty to  Mr.  Latrobe’s  works  in  England;  though 
from  time  to  time,  since  his  death,  those  who  knew  him 
before  he  came  to  America,  and  who  have  since  moved 
to  this  country,  have  spoken  to  his  children  in  praise 
of  edifices  that  they  attributed  to  him,  both  of  a public 
and  private  character,  and  which  they  say  still  keep 
alive  his  professional  reputation  in  the  land  of  his 
nativity. 

On  the  20th  of  March,  1796,  after  a passage  of 
four  months,  within  four  days  (a  fact  mentioned  now 
by  way  of  contrast),  Mr.  Latrobe  landed  at  Norfolk, 
Va.  His  letters  of  introduction  were  numerous,  and 
he  was  received  and  treated  in  the  kindest  manner  by 


xiv 


INTRODUCTION 


all  to  whom  he  presented  them.  On  the  31st  of  March 
he  writes  from  Norfolk: 

“ I have  been  idly  engaged  since  my  arrival.  The 
friends  to  whom  I was  recommended  have  been  ex- 
tremely kind  to  me,  and  I have  loitered  my  time  away 
at  their  homes,  doing  little  odds  and  ends  of  services 

for  them — designing  a staircase  for  Mr.  A ’s  new 

house,  a house  and  offices  for  Captain  P — , tuning 

a pianoforte  for  Mrs.  W , scribbling  doggerel  for 

Mrs.  A — — , tragedy  for  her  mother,  and  Italian  songs 

for  Mrs.  T . The  excursion  into  the  Dismal 

Swamp  opened  a prospect  for  professional  pursuits  of 
more  importance  to  me.  I saw  there  too  much  to  de- 
scribe at  random  and  too  little  to  describe  at  all  with- 
out seeing  more.  In  the  meantime  the  management 
of  the  James  River  Navigation  seems  opening  for  me, 
and  I am  going  thither  to-morrow  ” ; etc.  Again  he 
says  in  a postscript  to  the  same  letter:  “A  Virginian 
welcome  must  be  experienced  to  be  understood.  It  in- 
cludes everything  that  the  best  heart  can  prompt  and 
the  most  luxurious  country  afford.  It  is  that  which  will 
oblige  a stranger  to  stop  his  career  to  the  northward, 
and  force  him  to  settle  among  men  whom  he  experi- 
ences to  be  liberal,  friendly,  and  sensible — Experto 
crede  Roberto .” 

After  remaining  several  months  at  Norfolk,  Mr. 
Latrobe  went  to  Richmond,  where  he  remained  until 
November,  1798,  when  he  removed  to  Philadelphia. 


T 


XV 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


During  this  period  he  was  constantly  occupied  with  the 
business  of  his  profession  in  its  most  extensive  appli- 
cation. He  designed  many  private  buildings  in  Rich- 
mond, Norfolk,  and  Petersburg,  besides  others  in  the 
country.  In  July,  1797,  his  design  for  the  penitentiary, 
which  the  Legislature  had  determined  to  build  after 
the  change  in  the  penal  code  of  the  State,  was  accepted, 
and  he  was  employed  to  superintend  its  erection  at 
Richmond.  He  was  employed  to  examine  and  report 
upon  the  Dismal  Swamp  Canal,  the  improvement  of 
the  navigation  of  the  Appomattox  and  the  James  rivers, 
and  also  the  condition  of  the  fortifications  at  Norfolk, 
with  a view  to  their  renovation. 

As  a geologist  and  mineralogist  his  services  appear, 
by  his  memoranda,  to  have  been  in  frequent  demand, 
and  he  paid  numerous  visits  to  various  counties  of  the 
State  where  it  was  believed  that  coal,  iron,  and  other 
minerals  were  to  be  found.  Such  time  as  he  could 
spare  from  strictly  professional  pursuits  he  devoted  to 
the  cultivation  of  the  natural  sciences  and  an  examina- 
tion into  the  geological  features  of  Virginia.  Upon 
these  subjects  he  wrote  much;  and  his  remarks,  accom- 
panied by  numerous  illustrative  drawings,  landscapes, 
and  sketches,  show,  at  this  day,  the  keenness  and  accu- 
racy of  his  observation,  not  less  than  the  activity  and 
energy  of  his  mind.  His  communications,  copies  of 
which  he  has  left,  were  principally  addressed  to 
Volney  and  Dr.  Scandella,  the  naturalist,  and  ex- 


xvi 


INTRODUCTION 


hibit  a thorough  knowledge  of  the  subjects  of  his 
investigation. 

In  other  respects,  too,  Mr.  Tatrobe  was  most  pleas- 
antly situated  while  in  Virginia.  The  acquaintances 
that  he  formed  in  many  parts  of  the  State  were  numer- 
ous, and  at  Richmond  he  enjoyed  the  friendship  of  the 
late  Bushrod  Washington,  John  Simes,  Edmund  Ran- 
dolph— Chief  Justice  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  the 
United  States — John  C.  Shubert,  Esq.,  of  Maryland, 
to  whose  attention  during  a dangerous  illness  he  owed 
his  life,  and  many  others,  who  were  through  life  his 
warm  and  assured  friends.  His  talents  were  appre- 
ciated, his  society  was  sought,  ample  occupation  was 
afforded  him,  he  experienced  but  little  of  the  opposi- 
tion that  he  had  subsequently  to  contend  with,  and  he 
found  no  reason  to  regret  the  loss  of  the  prospects 
which  he  could  have  enjoyed  had  he  continued  to  reside 
in  England.  On  one  of  his  many  excursions  through 
the  State  Mr.  Latrobe  visited  President  Washington 
at  Mount  Vernon. 

In  March,  1798,  Mr.  Latrobe  paid  a short  visit 
to  Philadelphia.  Among  the  acquaintances  which  his 
letters  procured  for  him  in  that  city  was  the  president 
of  the  Bank  of  Pennsylvania.  Upon  one  occasion, 
when  in  company  with  this  gentleman,  the  conversation 
turned  upon  the  banking  house  which  it  was  then  pro- 
posed'to  build,  and  Mr.  Latrobe,  having  heard  de- 
scribed the  accommodation  that  would  be  necessary, 

o 

^ xvu 


T 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 

made  a sketch  of  a design,  while  the  conversation  was 
going  on,  with  the  pen  and  ink  that  happened  to  be  at 
hand,  and  left  it  with  the  president,  without  the  re- 
motest expectation  of  its  ever  being  executed.  In  the 
following  July  (1793)  he  was  not  less  surprised  than 
gratified  to  receive  a letter  from  Philadelphia,  inform- 
ing him  that  his  design  for  the  Bank  of  Pennsylvania 
had  been  adopted,  and  pressing  him  to  prepare  correct 
copies  of  the  sketch  that  he  had  left  behind  him,  and 
such  instructions  as  would  enable  the  workmen  to 
build  it. 

It  is  a fact  that  deserves  mentioning  in  this  place 
that  Mr.  Latrobe,  at  the  time  he  designed  the  Bank 
of  Pennsylvania,  had  not  the  means  of  access  to  a 
single  work  in  which  were  the  proportions  of  the  order 
to  which  it  belongs.  The  vessel  containing  the  library 
which  was  sent  after  him  to  America  had  been  taken 
by  a French  privateer,  so  that  for  several  years  he  was 
without  a single  architectural  authority  to  resort  to, 
and  obliged  to  rely  solely  on  his  memory  and  his  taste. 
How  well  these  served  him  is  shown  in  many  of  his 
works. 

The  Bank  of  Pennsylvania  is  the  work  which  per- 
manently established  the  professional  reputation  of 
Mr.  Latrobe,  and  if  simplicity  of  construction,  classic 
elegance  of  proportions  and  details,  and  adaptation  to 
the  purposes  for  which  it  is  intended  may  give  char- 
acter to  a building  and  credit  to  its  architect,  the  praise 

xviii 


INTRODUCTION 


which  the  Bank  of  Pennsylvania  has  universally  re- 
ceived and  the  fame  which  Mr.  Latrobe  has  derived 
from  it  are  fully  justified. 

The  employment  of  Mr.  Latrobe  to  superintend 
the  building  of  the  Bank  of  Pennsylvania,  joined  to 
the  inducements  that  had  been  held  out  to  him  to  make 
Philadelphia  his  permanent  home  during  his  short  visit 
there  in  the  spring  of  1798,  determined  him  to  leave 
Richmond.  Accordingly  he  brought  all  his  business  in 
Virginia  to  a close,  and  in  the  winter  of  1798  went  to 
reside  in  Philadelphia. 

Soon  after  Mr.  Latrobe  moved  to  Philadelphia  he 
undertook  to  build  the  waterworks  for  the  supply  of 
the  city  with  the  water  of  the  Schuylkill,  pumping  it 
by  a steam-engine,  with  proper  reservoirs,  from  whence 
it  could  be  distributed  through  the  streets.  It  was  the 
first  time  that  such  a design  had  been  attempted  in 
America,  and  Mr.  Latrobe  was  looked  upon  by  the 
mass  of  the  community  as  a visionary  prospector  when 
he  undertook  it.  People  were  not  satisfied  with  treat- 
ing him  and  his  design  with  contempt.  Personal  abuse 
was  heaped  upon  him.  Unfortunately  for  him,  L’En- 
fant,  a French  engineer,  the  author  of  the  plan  of  the 
City  of  Washington,  had  disappointed  the  people  of 
Philadelphia  in  the  home  which  he  undertook  to  build 
for  Robert  Morris  and  the  city  assembly  rooms,  for 
which  a subscription  had  been  raised  to  a considerable 
amount.  On  both  these  buildings  immense  sums  of 


xix 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 

money  had  been  squandered.  The  house  of  Mr.  Mor- 
ris, although  put  under  roof,  was  never  finished,  and 
was  torn  down,  and  the  assembly  rooms  never  rose 
above  the  foundations.  L’Enfant  had  scarcely  left 
Philadelphia  before  Mr.  Latrobe  made  it  his  home 
and  attracted  to  himself  the  public  attention  by  the 
two  great  works  that  he  at  once  commenced,  the  Bank 
of  Pennsylvania  and  the  supply  of  the  city  with  water. 
The  first  was  easily  understood  by  the  citizens;  the  last 
was  at  first  incomprehensible,  ranking  with  the  schemes 
of  L’Enfant,  and  they  transferred  at  once  to  Mr.  La- 
trobe, whose  profession  and  French  name  appear  to 
have  been  considered  by  them  as  ample  justification, 
all  the  unpopularity  into  which  the  works  of  L’Enfant 
had  brought  the  profession  of  an  architect.  He  was 
called  “ the  damned  Frenchman,”  in  common  parlance, 
who  was  spending  the  people’s  money  upon  a chimer- 
ical project.  Difficulties  were  thrown  in  the  way  of 
his  procuring  workmen.  Petty  and  vexatious  injuries 
were  done  to  the  buildings  by  unknown  persons;  no 
argument  could  convince  the  multitude,  and  popular 
dislike  toward  Mr.  Latrobe  seemed  to  advance  with 
the  progress  of  the  work  until,  when  the  pipes  were 
laid  in  the  streets  and  the  steam-engine  finished,  this 
sentiment  seemed  to  have  attained  a point  beyond  which 
it  could  not  be  restrained  from  acts  of  violence. 

A change  in  popular  feelings  was,  however,  close 
at  hand.  By  Mr.  Latrobe’s  directions,  the  hydrants 


xx 


INTRODUCTION 


were  left  open  on  the  afternoon  of  the  day  when  the 
steam-engine  was  in  readiness,  and  in  the  middle  of 
the  night,  with  three  gentlemen,  his  friends,  and  one 
of  his  workmen,  he  went  to  the  waterworks,  kindled  a 
fire  under  the  boiler,  and  set  the  ponderous  machinery 
in  motion  while  the  city  was  buried  in  sleep.  Every- 
thing worked  as  he  anticipated,  and  when  the  morning 
came  the  streets  of  Philadelphia  were  flowing  with 
water  from  the  gushing  hydrants.  Mr.  Latrobe  was 
now  praised  as  much  as  he  had  before  been  condemned, 
and  everyone  seemed  desirous  of  making  atonement  to 
him  for  the  ill-usage  that  he  had  received.  Philadel- 
phia already  owed  her  building  of  greatest  beauty  to 
his  talent,  and  she  was  now  indebted  for  the  most  use- 
ful of  her  improvements  to  his  skill. 

In  1799  Mr.  Latrobe  made  a survey  with  a view 
of  ascertaining  the  practicability  of  uniting  the  waters 
of  the  Chesapeake  and  Delaware  bays  by  a canal.  His 
report  was  favorable,  and  in  1803  we  find  him  busily 
engaged  in  the  surveys  preliminary  to  the  choice  of  the 
precise  route  and  the  work  of  construction. 

While  engaged  in  the  surveys  of  the  Chesapeake 
and  Delaware  Canal,  in  1803,  Mr.  Latrobe  was  called 
to  Washington  by  Mr.  Jefferson  to  complete  the  build- 
ings there  which  had  been  commenced  under  the  ad- 
ministration of  General  Washington.  Having  under- 
taken the  task,  he  received  the  appointment  of  Surveyor 
of  the  Public  Buildings  of  the  United  States.  For  two 

xxi 


T 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


years  he  paid  only  occasional  visits  to  Washington,  but 
upon  the  abandonment  of  the  Chesapeake  and  Dela- 
ware Canal  he  removed  there  with  his  family  and  made 
it  is  his  permanent  residence  in  1807. 

General  Washington  had  caused  advertisements  to 
be  published  for  plans  for  a Capitol  and  President’s 
house  to  be  built  at  Washington.  At  this  time  the 
country  was  entirely  destitute  of  artists,  and  even  of 
good  workmen  in  those  branches  of  architecture  upon 
which  the  superiority  of  public  over  private  buildings 
depends,  and  the  designs  that  were  offered  were  such  as 
might  be  expected  from  such  a state  of  things.  The 
design  chosen  from  among  these  was  one  made  by 
Dr.  William  Thornton,  a man  of  talent,  but  without 
any  practical  architectural  skill.  His  own  account  of 
his  architectural  education  was  that  he  had  acquired  it 
by  a week’s  study  among  the  works  that  he  found  in 
the  Philadelphia  Library.  The  plan  of  the  Capitol, 
therefore,  certainly  was  a striking  proof  of  his  genius. 
He  was  appointed  one  of  the  commissioners  to  super- 
intend its  execution,  and  by  the  year  1800  the  north 
wing  was  so  far  completed  that  Congress  moved  to 
Washington  and  occupied  it. 

Mr.  Latrobe’s  first  step  on  receiving  his  appoint- 
ment was  to  examine  the  work  that  had  been  done  and 
to  see  how  far  the  plans  yet  unfinished  could  be  carried 
into  execution.  This  brought  him  at  once  into  pain- 
fully unpleasant  collision  with  all  those  who  had  been 

xxii 


INTRODUCTION 


before  engaged  in  the  public  buildings.  If  he  sug- 
gested an  alteration,  if  he  pointed  out  a defect,  if  he 
showed  the  impracticability  of  executing  a part  of  the 
design,  he  was  sure  to  bring  upon  himself  a host  of 
assailants.  Every  effort  was  made  to  undermine  him 
in  the  President’s  good  opinion.  His  talents  were  de- 
nied, his  motives  assailed,  and  the  party  papers  of  the 
day,  associating  him  with  party  politics  because  he 
received  his  appointment  from  Mr.  Jefferson,  joined 
in  the  hue  and  cry  against  him.  Several  times  was  he 
on  the  point  of  resigning  his  situation  altogether,  and 
was  only  prevented  from  doing  so  by  the  firm  and  un- 
wavering support  that  on  all  occasions  he  received  from 
the  President. 

In  1803  Mr.  Latrobe  commenced  the  south  wing 
of  the  Capitol.  The  foundation,  it  is  true,  had  been 
already  laid,  but  so  defectively  as  to  require  to  be  taken 
down  in  many  places.  The  whole  design  of  the  interior 
of  this  wing  was  his,  for  the  design  of  the  original 
projector  was  impracticable  and  could  not  have  been 
put  together.  The  exterior,  of  course,  had  to  be  built 
in  conformity  with  the  north  wing  design  and  built 
under  the  direction  of  Dr.  Thornton. 

At  the  time  of  his  appointment  to  the  office  of 
Surveyor  of  the  Public  Buildings  the  business  of  the 
navy  yard  was  put  into  Mr.  Latrobe’s  hands,  and  the 
entrance  to  the  yard,  which  is  still  admired  for  its  ex- 
cellent taste  and  the  beauty  of  its  proportion,  is  from 


XXlll 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


his  pencil.  He  designed  the  workshops,  the  conven- 
ience of  whose  construction  is  still  remarkable,  the 
powder  magazine  on  the  eastern  branch,  and  superin- 
tended all  the  improvement  within  or  in  connection 
with  the  navy  yard  during  his  residence  in  Washington. 

In  1809  Mr.  Latrobe  was  employed  to  survey  and 
superintend  the  construction  of  a canal  to  pass  through 
the  city  of  Washington,  meeting  the  main  stream  of 
the  Potomac  River  at  the  mouth  of  Tibers  Creek  with 
the  eastern  branch  near  the  navy  yard.  The  work  was 
commenced  with  much  ceremony  on  the  2d  of  July, 
1810,  and  prosecuted  vigorously  until  it  was  completed. 
Over  the  deepest  excavation  there  is  a brick  arch  of 
upward  of  sixty  feet  span,  the  construction  of  which 
is  a singular  specimen  of  Mr.  Latrobe’s  skill  and 
ingenuity. 

Mr.  Latrobe  continued  busily  engaged  in  Wash- 
ington until  1813.  In  1 8 1 1 the  south  wing  of  the 
Capitol  was  completed,  and  the  further  progress  of  the 
public  buildings  was  suspended  for  want  of  appropria- 
tions to  carry  them  on,  the  approaching  war  with 
Great  Britain  being  alleged  as  the  reason  for  curtail- 
ment in  the  expenditures  for  this  particular  object. 
The  works  at  the  navy  yard,  however,  were  carried  on 
upon  a larger  scale  than  ever. 

While  engaged  at  the  public  buildings  in  Washing- 
ton, Mr.  Latrobe  invented  what  has  been  often  termed 
a new  order  of  architecture,  and  the  words  of  praise 


xxiv 


INTRODUCTION 


in  which  it  has  often  been  spoken  of  require  a notice 
of  it  in  a sketch  of  his  life.  In  the  small  vestibule  at 
the  east  entrance  to  the  north  wing  of  the  Capitol  the 
vaulted  roof  is  supported  by  columns  representing  the 
stalk  of  the  Indian  corn  with  its  fruit.  The  shaft  of 
the  column  is  composed  of  the  stalks  of  the  corn  bound 
together  by  a cord  or  rope  at  the  bottom,  of  sufficient 
size  to  form  the  molding  of  the  base,  and  with  a 
smaller  cord  at  the  top  so  as  to  form  a proper  fillet 
below  the  capital.  The  capital  is  composed  of  the  ears 
of  the  corn  with  the  husk  or  outer  covering  sufficiently 
opened  to  show  the  grain  within.  The  proportions  of 
the  columns  are  perfect,  and  the  effect  is  singularly 
striking. 

Not  many  years  since,  the  writer  of  this  article, 
then  on  a visit  to  Virginia,  made  the  usual  pilgrimage 
of  travelers  in  that  quarter  to  Monticello.  Among  the 
places  of  interest  that  were  pointed  out  to  him  in  the 
then  dilapidated  premises  was  the  favorite  seat  of  Mr. 
Jefferson.  - It  was  upon  the  low,  flat  roof  of  a range 
of  offices,  which  are  built  partly  underground  and  ex- 
tend some  distance  from  the  main  building.  Several 
trees  formed  a thick  shade  over  the  spot  without  inter- 
fering with  the  rare  and  lovely  view  which  it  afforded. 
In  the  distance  were  the  bold  mountains  of  the  Blue 
Ridge.  The  intervening  landscape  was  covered  with 
the  velvet  hues  of  cultivation.  Charlottesville,  with  its 
university,  was  in  the  midst,  and  the  river,  gleaming 


XXV 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


here  and  there,  broke  the  uniformity  of  the  landscape 
and  carried  the  eye  far  to  the  north  into  the  remote 
perspective.  Four  garden  benches  were  so  disposed  as 
to  form  a square  on  this  little  observatory,  and  upon 
a pedestal  in  the  midst  was  a capital  with  its  ears  of 
corn,  a silent  but  expressive  compliment  to  the  genius 
of  its  author,  paid  by  one  who  knew  him  well  and  could 
appreciate  his  abilities. 

As  early  as  the  year  1809  Mr.  Jefferson,  at  the 
suggestion  of  Governor  Claiborne,  of  Louisiana,  ap- 
plied to  Mr.  Latrobe  to  ascertain  whether  it  was  prac- 
ticable to  supply  New  Orleans  with  water  by  the  same 
means  that  had  been  so  successful  in  Philadelphia,  and 
proposed  that  Mr.  Latrobe  should  undertake  it.  This 
he  consented  to  do,  and  we  find  among  his  correspond- 
ence numerous  letters  written  to  that  place  with  a view 
of  ascertaining  the  practicability  of  obtaining  an  ex- 
clusive grant  of  the  privilege.  In  1810  he  became 
satisfied  from  his  intercourse  with  Governor  Claiborne, 
then  on  a visit  to  Washington,  that  such  a grant  could 
be  obtained,  and  sent  his  eldest  son  by  his  first  wife, 
Henry  S.  Latrobe,  who,  having  graduated  at  St. 
Mary’s  College  in  Baltimore,  had  then  been  for  some 
time  in  his  office,  to  New  Orleans  with  the  necessary 
authority  to  negotiate  for  the  grant  in  question.  In 
18 1 1 the  Legislature  of  Louisiana  granted  to  him  the 
exclusive  privilege  for  twenty  years  from  the  first  of 
May,  1813,  the  time  intervening  between  this  date  and 


xxvi 


INTRODUCTION 


the  date  of  the  grant  being  considered  as  sufficient  for 
the  erection  of  the  necessary  buildings  and  machinery. 
Mr.  Latrobe  having  associated  with  himself  several 
gentlemen  as  partners  in  the  advantages  promised  by 
this  undertaking,  so  flattering  in  the  outset,  but  to  which 
ultimately  the  lives  of  himself  and  his  son  were  sacri- 
ficed, commenced  the  preparation  in  Washington  of 
all  those  parts  of  the  building  which  could  be  made 
cheaper  there  than  at  New  Orleans,  sending  them 
round  by  sea  to  his  son,  who  was  upon  the  spot  engaged 
in  erecting  the  works. 

The  war  with  Great  Britain,  which  came  on  in 
1812,  broke  in  upon  all  Mr.  Latrobe’s  plans.  The 
engines  for  the  waterworks  had  not  yet  been  built, 
nor  could  they  be  built  at  New  Orleans;  and  if  built, 
as  was  originally  intended,  in  Washington,  they  could 
not  be  sent  round  by  sea  without  the  risk  of  a loss 
which  no  insurance  could  cover — the  loss  of  time. 
Under  these  circumstances  he  made  up  his  mind,  as  the 
greater  portion  of  the  work  on  the  public  buildings, 
and,  of  course,  his  emoluments  thereon,  were  suspended 
by  the  war,  to  remove  to  Pittsburg,  and  there  super- 
intend the  construction  of  the  engines  for  the  New 
Orleans  works,  sending  them  when  completed  down 
the  Mississippi.  While  making  arrangements  to  carry 
this  plan  into  effect  he  incidentally  heard  that  Robert 
Fulton,  with  whom  he  had  long  been  intimate,  con- 
templated removing  his  engine  works  to  Pittsburg  and 


xxvii 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


obtaining  for  his  steamboats  the  same  monopoly  on 
the  Western  waters  that  was  already  enjoyed  on  the 
Hudson.  He  wrote  to  Fulton;  the  result  was  a com- 
bination of  objects,  and  Mr.  Latrobe,  in  the  fall  of 
1813,  as  the  agent  of  the  Ohio  Steamboat  Company, 
moved  his  family  to  Pittsburg,  and  began  there  the 
construction  of  a steamboat,  with  a view  of  construct- 
ing subsequently  the  engines  for  which  his  son  was 
waiting  in  New  Orleans. 

The  first  steamboat  that  had  ever  descended  the 
Mississippi  had  been  built  in  1812  by  Nicholas  T. 
Roosevelt,  Esq.,  who,  in  1810,  married  the  eldest 
daughter  of  Mr.  Latrobe  by  his  first  marriage.  The 
next  boats  were  the  Vesuvius  and  ALtna,  built  by  a 
brother-in-law  of  Mr.  Fulton’s;  so  that  the  steamboat 
commenced  by  Mr.  Latrobe  was  the  fourth  that  was 
launched  upon  those  waters,  where  they  are  now  so 
greatly  multiplied. 

In  this  visit  to  Pittsburg  Mr.  Latrobe  was  unfor- 
tunate. Ignorant  of  the  new  creation  which  was  then 
just  starting  into  life  to  give  impetus  to  all  the  trans- 
actions of  commerce  and  all  the  relations  of  man  in 
America,  Mr.  Latrobe  in  commencing  the  building  of 
the  steamboat  Buffalo  was  but  the  agent  carrying  out 
the  ideas  of  others  and  exercising  no  judgment  of  his 
own,  because  he  had  no  experience,  and  without  expe- 
rience he  was  necessarily  at  fault.  All  his  instructions, 
and  those  too  of  the  most  humble  kind,  were  given 


xxvi  11 


INTRODUCTION 


him  by  Mr.  Fulton  before  he  went  to  Pittsburg.  Mr. 
Fulton  in  making  up  these  instructions  was  governed 
by  the  value  of  labor  and  materials  in  New  York,  with 
the  conveniences  possessed  there  for  the  construction  of 
vessels  and  materials.  The  result  was  what  might 
easily  have  been  anticipated.  Mr.  Latrobe  found  him- 
self without  support  and  his  drafts  protested  when  the 
advanced  condition  of  the  steamboat  required  the  great- 
est exertions  to  complete  it  and  make  it  profitable  to 
those  interested.  Mr.  Fulton,  who  found  that  his 
estimate  had  been  spent  and  that  it  was  still  unfinished, 
made  no  allowance  for  error  in  those  calculations  and 
instructions  which  had  been  the  only  guides  in  the 
management  of  the  business.  He  was  disappointed, 
and  his  disappointment  made  him  unjust.  The  dis- 
tance of  the  parties  rendered  personal  explanations  out 
of  the  question;  misrepresentation  was  busy  in  creating 
a wrong  understanding,  and  the  result  was  a breach, 
destructive  alike  to  the  interest  of  both  of  them.  For 
the  first  time  in  his  life  the  spirits  and  firmness  of  Mr. 
Latrobe  sank  under  the  complicated  difficulties  by 
which  he  was  now  surrounded.  Not  only  was  the 
steamboat  design  wholly  defeated,  but  also  all  his  hopes 
of  being  able  to  furnish  the  engines  for  his  New  Or- 
leans works  which  he  had  looked  forward  to  beginning 
on  the  completion  of  the  boat.  All  the  money  that  he 
could  raise  from  his  own  resources  was  applied  to  the 
payment  of  the  hands,  in  the  daily  expectation  that 


xxix 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


advices  from  New  York  would  put  all  things  once  more 
upon  their  proper  footing.  The  expectation  was  a 
vain  one,  however,  and  yielding  to  the  pressure  of  cir- 
cumstances, and  worn  out  by  constant  mental  suffering, 
Mr.  Latrobe  was  wholly  overcome  and  rendered  in- 
capable of  exertion. 

In  thus  speaking  of  Mr.  Fulton  and  the  conse- 
quences to  Mr.  Latrobe  of  his  conduct  in  the  matters 
here  related,  it  is  not  intended  by  the  writer  of  this 
article  to  use  one  harsh  term  or  to  create  one  unpleas- 
ant feeling  to  any  of  his  friends  or  relatives.  Before 
his  death,  which  occurred  while  Mr.  Latrobe  was  still 
in  Pittsburg,  he  did  ample  justice  to  Mr.  Latrobe,  and 
admitted  the  error  of  the  opinion  under  which  he  acted 
at  the  period  in  question,  and  expressed  his  deep  regret 
at  what  had  taken  place.  What  is  here  stated  claims 
its  place  in  the  narrative  only  as  a necessary  portion 
of  the  history  of  the  individual. 

Mr.  Latrobe  was  in  the  painful  condition  above 
described  when  peace  was  proclaimed.  It  brought  to 
him  no  satisfaction,  for  misfortune  had  made  him  in- 
different to  everything.  Mrs.  Latrobe,  however,  had 
seen  that  a law  had  passed  authorizing  the  rebuilding 
of  the  public  buildings,  and,  known  to  her  husband, 
wrote  to  Mr.  Gallatin,  Mr.  Dallas,  and  others  of  her 
husband’s  intimate  friends,  stating  his  situation  and 
asking  their  influence  in  obtaining  his  reappointment 
to  his  former  office  as  Surveyor  of  the  Public  Buildings. 


XXX 


INTRODUCTION 


She  induced  him,  too,  with  much  difficulty  to  write  to 
Mr.  Madison  soliciting  the  place.  Her  gratification 
may  well  be  imagined  when  the  return  mail  brought  to 
her  the  official  information  that  the  subject  of  her  letter 
already  had  been  under  consideration,  and  there  had 
never  been  a moment’s  hesitation  as  to  his  being  the 
person  to  be  appointed  to  rebuild  the  Capitol.  She 
carried  the  joyful  intelligence  to  her  husband,  and  all 
the  pain  of  months  of  anxiety  and  sorrow  was  compen- 
sated when  she  saw  him  revive  from  the  despondency 
into  which  he  had  fallen  at  this  prospect  of  extrication 
from  the  difficulties  of  his  situation. 

While  at  Pittsburg  Mr.  Latrobe  designed  several 
private  buildings  that  were  erected  there  or  in  the 
vicinity,  as  well  as  others.  Among  these  last  were  the 
residences  of  Henry  Clay  at  Lexington  and  Governor 
Taylor  at  Newport. 

Upon  receiving  his  appointment  Mr.  Latrobe  im- 
mediately' went  to  Washington  to  examine  the  situa- 
tion of  the  public  buildings.  In  the  summer  of  1815 
he  returned  for  his  family,  and  soon  afterwards  found 
himself  once  more  at  the  seat  of  Government.  His 
reception  here  was  of  the  kindest  and  most  gratifying 
kind,  and  letters  of  congratulation  came  to  him  from 
all  those  with  whom  his  profession  had  at  any  time 
connected  him. 

For  nearly  three  years  Mr.  Latrobe  now  devoted 
himself  assiduously  to  the  restoration  of  the  public 


XXXI 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


buildings  at  Washington,  and  made  those  alterations 
in  the  interior  arrangements  of  the  south  wing  and 
north  wing  which  the  destruction  of  the  former  divi- 
sions by  the  fire  permitted.  The  Hall  of  Representa- 
tives was  altered  from  an  oval  into  a semicircle,  and 
the  design  as  it  is  now  executed  belongs  to  Mr.  Latrobe. 
The  columns  of  Potomac  marble  are  due  exclusively 
to  him,  as  he  was  the  first  who  suggested  the  applica- 
bility of  the  material  to  its  present  purposes.  During 
a visit  to  Virginia  he  had  observed  the  immense  quan- 
tities that  were  scattered  in  all  directions,  and,  having 
ascertained  that  it  was  susceptible  of  high  polish,  he 
proposed  that  it  should  be  used  in  place  of  freestone 
for  the  columns  of  the  Senate  and  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives. In  the  north  wing  the  fragile  character  of 
the  original  structure  before  Mr.  Latrobe  was  ap- 
pointed Surveyor  of  the  Public  Buildings  had  given 
more  materials  for  the  flames,  and  the  room  for  change 
and  improvement  was  greater  than  in  the  south  wing 
of  the  Capitol.  The  Supreme  Court  room,  the  Senate 
chamber  vestibule  in  the  place  of  the  former  stair- 
case, are  all  of  his  design,  and  in  the  capitals  of  the 
columns  of  the  latter  the  leaf  and  flower  of  the  tobacco 
plant  are  used  as  the  ears  of  corn  in  the  capitals  of  the 
columns  of  the  vestibule  below. 

While  at  Washington  in  1817  Mr.  Latrobe  re- 
ceived the  afflicting  intelligence  of  the  death  of  his  eldest 
son.  As  we  have  already  had  occasion  to  remark, 


XXXI 1 


INTRODUCTION 


he  had  gone  to  New  Orleans  to  superintend  the  con- 
struction of  the  waterworks  there,  and  finding  ample 
employment  otherwise  in  his  profession  as  an  architect 
had  made  it  the  place  of  his  permanent  abode.  He  had 
distinguished  talents  in  his  profession,  and  several  of 
the  best  buildings  of  New  Orleans  are  from  the  design 
of  his  pencil.  The  lighthouse  that  he  designed  on 
Frank’s  Island  at  the  mouth  of  the  Mississippi  has  been 
pronounced  by  a distinguished  judge  to  be  unsurpassed 
save  by  the  Eddystone  light  and  the  celebrated  light 
of  the  Caduan.  During  the  attack  of  the  British  he 
distinguished  himself  by  his  cool,  determined  bearing. 

On  the  return  of  Mr.  Latrobe  to  Washington  the 
system  under  which  the  work  at  the  public  buildings 
was  conducted  was  very  different  from  what  it  had  been 
during  the  time  of  Mr.  Jefferson.  The  direction  was 
no  longer  in  the  hands  of  the  President,  but  was  con- 
fided to  a Board  of  Commissioners  appointed  by  law. 
After  a little  while  this  board  was  done  away  with, 
and  an  act  of  Congress  passed  resting  the  whole  con- 
trol in  a single  commissioner.  The  individual  who 
was  appointed  to  the  office  was,  unfortunately  for  Mr. 
Latrobe,  one  who  could  not  appreciate  the  necessity 
that  then  existed  of  the  architect  of  a great  and  com- 
plicated structure  having  the  sole  direction  of  those 
interested  with  the  execution  of  its  various  parts;  and 
who,  totally  ignorant  of  everything  connected  with  the 
profession,  was  nevertheless  constantly  interfering  with 
3 xxxiii 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


the  progress  of  the  work.  It  was  not  to  be  wondered 
at,  therefore,  that  constant  collisions  took  place  between 
Mr.  Latrobe  and  the  commissioner,  until  the  latter,  by 
the  course  which  he  pursued,  made  it  impossible  for 
Mr.  Latrobe  to  retain  his  situation  without  giving  up 
what  he  conceived  due  to  himself  and  his  profession, 
and  sacrificing  for  the  sake  of  the  office  which  he  held 
his  independence,  both  as  an  architect  and  a gentleman. 
The  alternative  was  one  about  which  he  did  not  for  a 
moment  hesitate,  and  he  resigned  his  situation  as  Sur- 
veyor of  the  Public  Buildings,  deeply  as  his  pride  and 
his  reputation  were  interested  in  his  completing  them, 
rather  than  submit  to  the  daily  sacrifice  of  personal 
and  professional  feeling  to  which  he  would  have  been 
otherwise  subjected. 

The  Capitol  as  now  finished  is  essentially,  with  one 
or  two  exceptions,  so  far  the  design  of  Mr.  Latrobe  as 
it  could  be  when  the  style  of  the  architecture  was  set- 
tled for  him  beforehand  by  the  erection  of  the  north 
wing  under  the  direction  and  after  the  plan  of  Dr. 
Thornton.  The  present  central  dome,  however,  is  far 
larger  than  Mr.  Latrobe  ever  intended  that  it  should 
be.  In  his  design,  which  is  before  the  writer,  this  dome 
is  low  and  flat,  rising  from  an  octagonal  base,  the 
sides  of  which  are  marked  with  deep-sunk  panels.  The 
dome  is  in  every  respect  an  appendage  to  the  building. 
To  use  a plain  simile,  an  inverted  coffee  cup,  instead  of 
a tea  cup,  has  been  placed  upon  the  Capitol,  and  the 


xxxiv 


INTRODUCTION 


body  of  the  building,  with  its  noble  porticos,  instead 
of  making  its  full  and  proper  impression  upon  the 
spectator,  is  buried  and  pressed  down  by  the  mass  above 
it.  The  domes  of  the  wings  are  altogether  dwarfed 
on  either  side  of  their  formidable  neighbor. 

What  is  here  said  is  by  no  means  in  disparagement 
of  the  amiable  and  talented  gentleman  who  succeeded 
Mr.  Latrobe  as  Surveyor  of  the  Public  Buildings.  To 
him  great  credit  is  due  for  the  manner  in  which  his 
part  of  them  has  been  completed,  involving  as  it  has 
done  great  originality  of  design  and  skilful  contrivance. 
The  whole  of  the  center  building  was  put  up  under 
his  direction,  and  when  the  writer  of  this  article  speaks 
of  the  claim  of  Mr.  Latrobe  to  the  general  features  of 
the  design,  so  far  as  this  part  of  the  Capitol  is  con- 
cerned, it  is  the  exterior  rather  than  the  interior  that 
is  alluded  to. 

During  his  residence  at  this  time  in  Washington, 
Mr.  Latrobe  designed  St.  John’s  Church,  on  the  Presi- 
dent’s Square.  The  building  as  it  at  present  stands  has 
been  disfigured  in  an  attempt  to  enlarge  it  by  the  pro- 
longation of  one  of  the  arms  of  the  cross.  The  church 
as  originally  finished  by  Mr.  Latrobe  was  a simple  yet 
beautiful  specimen  of  his  skill.  He  also  designed 
Christ’s  Church  in  Alexandria. 

After  resigning  his  situation  at  the  Capitol,  Mr.  La- 
trobe removed  in  the  early  part  of  1 8 1 8 to  Baltimore. 
There  he  was  occupied  in  building  the  Exchange,  on 


xxxv 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


Gay  Street,  and  the  Cathedral.  The  latter  building  had 
been-  commenced  in  the  year  1805  under  the  auspices 
of  the  late  respected  Archbishop  Carroll.  Want  of 
funds  had  protracted  its  erection,  nor  was  it  until  1818 
that  it  was  covered  in.  The  Exchange  was  commenced 
in  1817  from  a design  made  by  Mr.  Latrobe  while 
he  yet  resided  in  Washington.  The  cathedral,  in 
point  of  size  and  solidity  of  execution,  is  his  greatest 
work.  The  Bank  of  Pennsylvania  was  long  considered 
as  the  most  beautiful;  but  while  it  does  not  yield  to 
the  cathedral  in  taste  or  execution,  it  is  inferior  in  size 
and  in  complication.  It  required  less  genius  to  design 
it  and  less  skill  to  suit  all  its  parts,  one  with  another, 
until  a whole,  perfect  in  proportion,  was  the  result. 
At  the  present  writing  the  interior  of  the  cathedral  is 
all  that  may  be  considered  as  finished,  and  the  remarks 
here  made  refer  to  the  interior  alone.  The  exterior 
still  wants  one  of  its  towers  to  lighten  by  contrast  the 
dome,  which  now  appears  too  massive,  and,  above  all, 
it  wants  its  north  portico,  with  a double  range  of  Ionic 
columns.  When  the  towers  and  the  portico  shall  be 
added  to  the  cathedral,  the  exterior,  not  less  than  the 
interior,  may  be  referred  to  as  among  the  best  instances 
of  the  talent  and  skill  of  the  architect.  The  Exchange 
is  in  its  exterior  a plain  building  of  excellent  propor- 
tions. Its  hall,  however,  is  a beautiful  specimen  of 
architecture,  not  only  in  the  proportion  of  all  its  parts, 
from  the  Ionic  columns  below  to  the  light  and  airy 


xxxvi 


INTRODUCTION 


dome  high  overhead,  but  for  the  truth  and  ability  with 
which  the  various  and  complicated  parts  of  the  whole 
are  adjusted  and  put  together. 

After  his  removal  to  Baltimore,  Mr.  Latrobe,  no 
longer  in  the  public  employment  and  bound  down  to 
remain  near  the  public  buildings,  determined  to  visit 
New  Orleans,  with  a view  of  completing  the  water- 
works there  which  had  been  commenced  by  his  son, 
and  in  which  so  much  of  the  fortune  of  himself  and 
his  friends  was  already  invested.  Leaving  his  family, 
therefore,  in  Baltimore,  he  paid  a visit  to  New  Orleans 
in  1819-20,  and  commenced  putting  up  the  engines, 
which  had  been  built  in  Baltimore  since  he  had  left 
Washington.  After  he  had  remained  there  a few 
months  he  found  that  his  own  constant  personal  super- 
vision was  unnecessary,  and  having  made  arrangements 
to  remove  his  family,  he  returned  for  them  to  Balti- 
more, and  in  1820  took  up  his  residence  with  them  in 
New  Orleans,  with  the  intention  of  remaining  until  the 
works  were  finished  and  their  success  certain.  When 
it  was  understood  that  he  intended  removing  from 
Baltimore,  the  trustees  of  the  Cathedral  and  the  direc- 
tors of  the  Exchange  addressed  to  him  letters  showing 
the  estimation  in  which  he  was  held  by  those  to  whom 
his  talents  had  been  last  devoted. 

For  some  time  after  Mr.  Latrobe  reached  New 
Orleans  the  waterworks  progressed  most  rapidly.  His 
health  was  good,  and  he  congratulated  himself  that  at 


xxxvu 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


last  there  was  a prospect  of  his  being  released  from 
the  constant  labors  of  his  previous  life  and  being  able 
to  live  in  comfort  and  with  competence,  if  not  affluence, 
for  the  remainder  of  his  days.  The  engine  was  com- 
pleted, and  in  two  weeks  the  entire  work  would  have 
been  done  and  water  flowing  through  the  streets.  But 
on  the  very  day  that  he  Was  engaged  in  superintending 
the  laying  down  of  the  pipe  connecting  the  engine  with 
the  Mississippi  he  was  taken  ill.  The  fatal  disease  of 
the  climate  had  seized  him,  and  in  a few  hours  he  was 
laid  beside  his  son.  His  all  had  been  embarked  in  the 
works  he  was  then  engaged  in.  His  own  life  was  now 
added,  with  his  son’s,  to  the  sacrifice.  With  him  died 
all  hope  of  emolument  from  the  scheme.  The  build- 
ings and  machinery  passed  into  other  hands,  and  his 
widow  and  children,  in  sorrow,  and  in  vain,  returned 
to  the  Atlantic  seaboard. 

John  Hazlehurst  Boneval  Latrobe. 

Baltimore,  1876. 


XXXVlll 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


FOREWORD 


TV E pay  so  little  attention  in  general  to  what  is 
going  forward  on  the  scene  on  which  we  ourselves  are 
actors  that  when  now  and  then  a real  story,  unadorned 
by  fiction,  is  presented  to  us  in  the  succession  of  its 
circumstances,  we  are  very  apt  to  fancy  it  too  full  of 
incident  and  contrivance  to  have  passed  on  the  theater 
of  actual  life.  I have  more  than  once  made  this  observa- 
tion in  reading  my  old  journals  of  trivial  transactions, 
which  had  very  little  but  truth  to  recommend  them. 
In  this  respect  we  are  like  the  actors  of  dramatic  scenes, 
who  are  so  engaged  with  their  own  parts  that  they 
hardly  ever  study  the  performance  of  others.  We  wait 
till  our  own  act  comes,  and  then  go  on  as  we  have 
accustomed  ourselves  to  do. 

I have  often  intended  to  make  the  recital  of  some 
of  my  own  adventures  an  amusement  of  my  leisure,  but 
whenever  I have  attempted  it  the  appearance  of  fiction 
has  accompanied  many  of  the  most  positive  facts.  In- 
deed, the  general  rage  for  novels,  which  most  fre- 
quently recite  very  common  occurrences  but  which  we 
know  to  be  invented,  throws  a false  reflection  upon 

xli 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 

every  relation  which  at  all  steps  out  of  the  common 
road. 

The  practice  of  keeping  a regular  journal  was  rec- 
ommended to  me  very  early  in  life  by  my  father — 
merely  for  the  sake  of  writing  down  my  ideas  with  ease 
and  correctness , for  he  recommended  at  the  same  time 
that  I should  at  the  close  of  every  year  extract  all  the 
generally  useful  facts  and  burn  the  remainder.  I have 
followed  his  advice  at  intervals  ever  since  I was  a boy , 
both  in  writing  and  burning  my  journals.  Since  my 
arrival  in  America  I have  in  a great  measure  altered 
my  plan  of  a diary  into  a collection  of  observations  and 
a record  of  facts  in  which  my  personal  interest  and 
actions  were  not  immediately  concerned.  The  great 
chasms  which  appear  in  the  collections  are  chiefly  owing 
to  the  personal  activity  which  so  filled  up  my  time  as 
to  render  it  out  of  my  plan  to  report  what  was  going 
forward. 

B.  H.  L. 


xlii 


The  Journal  of  Latrobe 


CHAPTER  I 

VIRGINIA  AND  ITS  PEOPLE:  WITH  COMMENTS  UPON 
HOSPITALITY  AND  SOME  STRANGE  ACQUAINTANCES 

Col.  Skipwith’s,  Cumberland  County, 
June  io,  1796. 

TO  get  my  person  to  this  place  has  been  the 
work  of  much  labor  and  some  contrivance. 
I ought  to  have  been  twenty  miles  more  to 
the  westward  upon  the  7th,  but  that  could  not  be 
done.  The  capital  of  Virginia  does  not  afford  a horse 
for  hire.  This  is  not  much  to  be  wondered  at,  nor 
will  the  matter  be  better  till  post-feeding  goes  out  of 
fashion.  The  Virginians  ride  hard,  and  are,  into  the 
bargain,  accused  of  tying  their  horses  to  a post  or  tree, 
when  they  ought  to  be  tied  to  a manger.  My  appoint- 
ment for  the  7th  was  to  meet  the  superintendent  of 
the  Appomattox  Navigation  at  Mr.  Venable’s,  in  order 
to  proceed  from  the  head  of  the  river  to  Petersburg. 
The  weather  has  been  very  rainy  for  this  fortnight 


1 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


past,  and  all  my  endeavor  to  hire  or  beg  the  use  of  a 
horse  has  been  abortive.  Mr.  Arthur,  however,  fur- 
nished me  at  last  with  a horse,  which,  having  carried 
me  to  Tuckahoe,  I exchanged  for  another  and  pro- 
ceeded across  the  river  to  Amelia  County.  Tuckahoe 
is  sixteen  miles  from  Richmond  on  the  north  side  of 
the  James  River.  The  river  here  is  about  a hundred 
and  fifty  yards  wide,  and  runs  in  a straight  line  about 
two  miles.  Its  scenery  of  wood  and  gentle  hills  is  soft 
and  pleasing.  The  river  is  deep  at  the  ferry. 

The  rains  had  swelled  it,  and  there  was  about  ten 
feet  of  water  nearly  across.  My  object  was  to  get 
to  Hopkins’s  Tavern.  An  old,  talkative  negro,  who 
was  plowing  in  a cornfield,  directed  me.  I made  him 
repeat  the  lesson  till  I knew  it  by  heart.  He  happened 
not  to  know  his  right  hand  from  his  left,  but  with  some 
trouble  I contrived  to  understand  him.  This  business 
of  inquiring  after  roads  and  getting  clear  directions  is 
a matter  that  ought  to  be  well  understood  by  a solitary 
traveler  in  American  woods.  Men  that  daily  travel 
the  same  route  think  their  road  so  clear  that  it  cannot 
possibly  be  mistaken,  and  perhaps  pass  over  in  their 
directions  its  most  critical  points.  My  way  is  always 
to  hear  and,  if  possible,  to  imprint  on  my  memory  the 
direction  offered  me,  and  then  to  make  minute  inquiry 
after  all  the  by-roads  and  turnings  which  I am  to  avoid. 
By  this  mode  of  inquiry  I in  general  astonish  my  direc- 
tors by  discoveries  of  difficulties  they  never  thought  of 


2 


VIRGINIA  AND  ITS  PEOPLE 


before.  This  was  the  case  with  my  old  negro.  After 
telling  me  at  first  that  the  road  was  so  plain  I could 
not  miss  it,  he  then  recollected  so  many  devious  paths 
in  the  first  mile  that  he  turned  me  over  for  further 
guidance  to  the  overseer,  whom,  he  said,  I should  meet 
half  a mile  off.  I met,  however,  no  overseer,  but  con- 
tinued my  ride  through  the  woods,  following  the  old 
man’s  direction  and  steering  southwest.  Having,  by 
my  feelings,  ridden  about  ten  miles  without  catching  a 
view  of  any  known  object,  I began  to  be  uneasy,  and 
soon  after  met  a man  who,  though  himself  a stranger, 
could  tell  me  that  Hopkins’s  Tavern  lay  about  ten 
miles  behind  me.  He  put  me  into  a small  path  lead- 
ing into  the  thickest  of  the  woods  which  would  lead 
me  to  a plantation  where  I could  get  directions. 

After  following  it  three  miles,  frequently  stopping 
to  choose  among  three  or  four  by-ways,  which  ap- 
peared to  be  equally  likely  to  be  right,  I overtook 
another  white  man,  who  made  me  turn  aback  about 
half  a mile  again,  as  I unfortunately  had  pitched  upon 
a wrong  one.  This  path  I followed  for  an  hour  with- 
out seeing  an  opening  in  the  wood  or  meeting  with 
anything  that  looked  like  an  indication  of  human  habi- 
tation. At  last  I arrived  at  a fence  and  saw  a small 
house  at  a distance.  I pulled  part  of  the  fence  down, 
got  over,  and  rebuilt  it.  I soon  arrived  at  the  house. 
A man,  apparently  dying  of  consumption,  sat  at  the 
door  with  his  head  in  the  lap  of  a very  beautiful  young 

3 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 

woman,  who  was  crying  over  him.  Her  cheeks  seemed 
flushed  with  a hectic  red.  There  were  three  or  four 
small  white  children  crawling  about,  attended  by  about 
as  many  black  ones.  Within,  everything  looked  neat 
and  comfortable.  I waited  for  some  minutes,  and  felt 
a degree  of  melancholy  that  I cannot  describe,  pictur- 
ing to  myself  a long  story  of  distress  which  I fancied 
must  belong  to  this  unhappy  family,  of  which  the  poor 
children  might  soon  inherit  the  continuance.  Here, 
however,  there  is  hospitality  and  neighborly  feeling  to 
assist  and  alleviate;  in  Great  Britain  the  crowded  in- 
habitants are  forced  to  trample  upon  each  other’s  suf- 
ferings. The  man,  who  had  fainted,  soon  recovered, 
and  I found  that  the  fever  and  ague,  the  canker  of 
the  plenty  and  health  of  this  country,  had  harassed 
him  for  a year  or  two,  and  that  he  despaired  of  recov- 
ery. He  begged  me  to  alight  and  refresh  myself,  but 
the  scene  was  too  distressing.  I got  from  him  and  his 
wife  a clear  direction,  and  in  about  an  hour  more 
escaped  from  the  woods  and  arrived  at  Hopkins’s.  I 
was  extremely  fatigued,  got  my  horse  fed  and  a dish 
of  tea  for  myself.  While  I was  drinking  it  the  tavern 
keeper  sat  in  the  room  nursing  a child  and  singing  and 
rattling  a table  in  the  most  violent  manner,  and  ex- 
ceedingly unpleasant  to  a fatigued  traveler.  There  is 
nothing,  thought  I,  like  liberty  and  equality.  I found 
it  impossible  to  disturb  him  by  the  questions  I asked 
with  that  design.  I therefore  ordered  my  horse,  paid 

4 


VIRGINIA  AND  ITS  PEOPLE 


my  bill,  and  rode  eight  miles  farther.  It  was  dark 
when  I arrived.  It  had  rained  often  in  the  day,  and 
when  I alighted  I could  scarce  walk  to  the  house  with 
fatigue,  having  ridden  about  fifty  miles  in  the  course 
of  about  nine  hours.  Extreme  fatigue  prevented  my 
sleeping  much.  I got  up  late,  and  resolved  to  go  and 
dress  myself  for  the  day  at  Captain  Murray’s,  about 
four  miles  off. 

I spent  all  Wednesday  at  Captain  .Murray’s,  and 
on  Thursday  went  to  Major  Eggleston’s.  He  was 
out,  and  I followed  him  to  Mrs.  Eggleston’s,  his 
mother-in-law’s,  about  two  miles  farther.  He  had  also 
left  that  place,  but  I met  there  his  wife,  and  spent  a 
very  pleasant  day  with  three  agreeable  ladies.  In  the 
evening  he  arrived,  and  I returned  to  his  house,  joined 
by  Major  Scott,  a veteran  officer  in  the  American  army 
and  a man  of  uncommon  natural  ability  and  strength 
of  intellect.  About  nine  o’clock  this  morning  I pur- 
sued my  journey  up  the  river,  hoping  in  the  evening 
to  arrive  at  Mr.  Venable’s,  where  I proposed  staying 
till  the  freshet  should  have  subsided  and  the  superin- 
tendents commenced  their  operations. 

Major  Eggleston  favored  me  with  a letter  to 
Colonel  Skipwith,  who  has  a mill  about  twenty  miles 
higher  up  upon  the  Appomattox.  The  road  lay 
through  Stingytown  and  by  Chinquopin  church.  The 
circumstance  that  gave  the  name  of  Stingytown  to  the 
small  collection  of  houses  around  Mr.  James  Town’s 

5 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


tavern  is  forgotten.  The  name,  however,  is  now,  I 
dare  to  say,  indelibly  fixed,  and  the  attempt  of  the 
proprietor  to  call  it  by  his  own  name,  Jamestown, 
will  scarcely  succeed.  Nicknames  are  durable  things. 
Chinquopin  church  has  a small  collection  of  houses 
about  it,  the  principal  of  which  is  a tavern  kept  in  an 
indifferent  style  by  Major  Chaffin,  who  with  Major 
Eggleston  is  a representative  of  the  county  in  the  State 
Legislature.  I suppose  the  quantity  of  Chinquopin 
bushes  about  the  church  gave  it  the  name  it  bears,  but 
they  are  everywhere  so  thickly  spread  that  I am  at  a 
loss  to  know  why  the  preference  should  be  given  to 
this  spot.  The  church,  like  all  the  rest,  is  an  indif- 
ferent wooden  building,  scarcely  ever  used. 

I was  in  hopes  of  getting  by  twelve  o’clock  to 
Colonel  Skipwith’s.  At  Chinquopin  church  I struck 
into  the  woods  and  pursued  the  direct  road  without 
suffering  fork  to  the  right  or  left  to  puzzle  me,  accord- 
ing to  the  advice  of  an  old  man  whom  I met  near 
Chinquopin.  The  road  indeed  was  straight  enough. 
I rode  without  fear  till  I fancied  I must  have  exceeded 
the  seven  miles  of  distance  I had  to  travel.  I then 
turned  into  a plantation,  the  third  opening  only  which 
I had  met  with  in  these  eternal  woods.  A negro  man 
came  to  the  gate,  who  in  a long  speech  bewailed  my 
having  missed  the  proper  turning  to  the  right  in  this 
infallibly  straight  road.  It  was  about  four  miles  be- 
hind me.  The  day  was  excessively  sultry,  and  my 

6 


VIRGINIA  AND  ITS  PEOPLE 


horse  appeared  as  tired  as  his  rider.  Nothing,  how- 
ever, could  be  done  but  to  go  back,  and  I got  nearly 
the  following  directions: 

“ I am  right  sorry,  master,  you  are  so  far  out  in 
this  hot  day.  It  is  very  bad  indeed,  master.  You 
must,  if  you  please,  turn  right  around  to  your  right 
hand,  which  was  your  left,  you  see,  when  you  were 
coming  here,  master.  I say  you  turn  right  around  to 
your  right  hand,  which  was  your  left  hand,  and  then 
you  go  on  and  go  on  about  two  miles  or  two  miles 
and  a half,  master.  It’s  very  bad  indeed  to  have  to 
ride  so  far  back  again  on  so  hot  a day,  and  your  horse 
tired  and  all;  but  when  you  have  got  back  again  about 
two  miles  or  two  miles  and  a half  you  will  see  a plan- 
tation, and  that  plantation  is  Dicky  Hoe’s.  That’s  on 
your  right  hand  now  as  you’re  going  back,  but  it  was 
on  your  left  hand  when  you  were  coming  here,  you 
see,  master.  The  plantation  is  Dicky  Hoe’s  on  your 
right  hand,  right  handy  to  the  road,  and  there  is  a 
house  with  two  brick  chimneys  on  it;  but  it  is  not  one 
house,  it  only  looks  like  one  house  with  two  brick 
chimneys,  but  it  is  two  houses  and  is  only  built  like 
one  house,  but  it  is  really  two  houses;  you  will  see  it 
right  handy  to  the  road  a little  way  off,  with  two  brick 
chimneys,  on  your  right  hand,  which  was  your  left 
hand  when  you  were  coming  here.  And  so  you  ride 
by  Dicky  Hoe’s  plantation  with  the  house  with  the  two 
brick  chimneys,  which  is  two  houses,  you  know,  and 
4 7 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 

then  you  ride  on  and  come  to  another  plantation  about 
a mile  farther,  which  plantation  is  on  your  left  hand, 
which  was  your  right  hand  when  you  came  here,  right 
handy  to  the  road.” 

“ Well,”  said  I,  “ I know  it;  and  then  I get  again 
to  the  wood,  and  how  then  when  I am  in  the  wood 
past  the  plantation  and  house?  ” 

“ Why,  then,  master,”  said  the  negro,  “ when  you 
have  passed  the  plantation  on  your  left  hand,  which 
was  your  right  hand  when  you  came  here,  right  handy 
to  the  road,  you  go  along  till  you  come  into  the  woods, 
and  ride  about  one  hundred  yards — no,  master,  you 
don’t  ride  about  one  hundred  yards,  only  fifty  yards. 
But  I think,  master,  you  had  better  ride  about  a hun- 
dred and  fifty  yards,  and  then  it  will  be  all  plain  to 
you,  for  you  see  a fork  on  your  right  hand,  which  was 
your  left  hand  when  you  came  here.  Turn  down 
there.” 

“ Now  I know  all  about  it,”  cried  I,  fatigued. 
“ Good  morning,  my  good  fellow,  and  thank  you  many 
times.”  I rode  off  in  full  trot,  and  when  he  was  out 
of  sight  he  was  still  calling  out  to  me  about  my  right 
hand  which  was  my  left.  As  soon,  however,  as  I got 
out  of  the  woods  I saw  the  house  with  the  two  brick 
chimneys  on  my  left  instead  of  my  right,  and  presently 
the  next  house  was  on  my  right  instead  of  my  left.  I 
therefore  tied  up  my  horse,  got  over  the  fence,  and  at 
the  house  got  a direction  in  good  German  to  the  mill, 

8 


VIRGINIA  AND  ITS  PEOPLE 


from  which  I was  then  only  two  miles  distant.  The 
river  was  very  full,  and  I heard  the  roar  of  tumbling 
water  half  a mile  off.  The  mill  and  house  belonging 
to  it  are  on  the  opposite  steep  bank.  Colonel  Skip- 
with  had  just  erected  a small  mill  on  the  south  end  of 
his  dam,  to  which  I rode  and  tied  my  horse  to  a tree. 
There  was  not  a human  being,  however,  to  be  seen  in 
or  near  it.  I heard  voices  in  the  wood  and  went  in 
search  of  the  women  or  children  from  whom  they 
seemed  to  proceed,  but  I could  not  reach  them.  I then 
walked  down  the  river,  halloed  to  the  other  side,  but 
nobody  answered.  The  roaring  of  the  cascade,  I pre- 
sume, drowned  my  voice,  and  nobody  was  in  the  mill, 
which  was  stopped.  I therefore  undressed  and  at- 
tempted to  swim  to  a canoe  which  I saw  on  the  other 
side.  The  river  was  very  deep  at  the  spot  at  which  I 
entered  it,  but  I had  not  swum  many  yards  wrhen  my 
feet,  which  I dropped  to  feel  for  the  bottom,  were 
entangled  in  some  bushes,  and  I was  glad  to  get  back 
to  the  shore  again.  I then  sat  down  quietly  under  a 
tree,  dressed,  and  waited  near  an  hour.  At  last  I saw 
a negro  on  the  other  side.  He  heard  me,  and  pres- 
ently a young  white  man  put  the  canoe  across,  brought 
me  over,  and  then  forded  my  horse  at  the  ford  below 
the  mill.  During  this  time  a dreadful  thunderstorm 
was  slowly  rising,  and  before  I could  get  to  the  colonel’s 
house,  about  a mile  above  the  mill,  it  began  to  rain. 
He  was  gone  to  another  plantation  an  hour  before  my 

9 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


arrival.  His  family,  however,  consisting  of  his  lady, 
two  daughters,  and  Miss  Johnson,  received  me  with 
the  politeness  and  hospitality  I have  everywhere  met 
with  in  Virginia,  and  the  terribly  stormy,  wet  weather 
which  has  set  in  and  continued  renders  it  extremely 
necessary  as  well  as  pleasant  to  me. 

Colonel  Skipwith’s,  June  u,  1796. 

This  place  has  a name  very  appropriate — Horsdn- 
monde.  No  possibility  of  outside  communication  by 
letter  or  visit  but  by  riding  half  a dozen  miles  into  the 
world.  In  other  respects  there  is  a great  deal  of 
worldly  beauty  and  convenience  about  it.  The  house 
is  a strange  building,  but  whoever  contrived  it,  and 
from  whatever  planet  he  came,  he  was  not  a lunatic , 
for  there  is  much  comfort  and  room  in  it,  though  put 
together  very  oddly.  Before  the  south  front  is  a range 
of  hills,  wooded  very  much  in  the  style  of  an  English 
park.  To  the  east  runs  the  Appomattox,  to  which  a 
lawn  extends.  Beyond  the  hills  to  the  southwest  the 
river  winds,  and  to  the  vapors  tending  eastward  thence 
the  unhealthiness  of  the  place  is  ascribed.  It  is  a re- 
mark which  I have  heard  from  many  sensible  and 
examining  men  that  water,  even  stagnant  water,  situ- 
ated to  the  eastward  of  a place — that  is,  between  the 
place  and  rising  sun — never  affects  its  health,  but  that 
no  elevation  protects  from  the  noxious  evaporation 
arising  from  a western  river  or  pond.  The  opinion  is 

10 


VIRGINIA  AND  ITS  PEOPLE 


universally  received  here,  and  I dare  say  is  well  founded 
on  fact.  The  warmth  of  the  rising  sun  may  expand 
and  occasion  the  rise  of  vapors  which  have  been  hov- 
ering near  the  ground  or  surface  of  the  water  during 
the  night.  But  why  they  should  take  an  eastern  course 
I cannot  guess,  as  the  wind  in  warm  latitudes  in  gen- 
eral blows  from  the  sun,  and  I should  suppose  on 
a still  morning  the  tendency  of  the  pressure  of  the 
air  would  be  to  the  westward.  Reasoning,  however, 
against  experience  is  vain  work. 

Of  the  unhealthiness  of  this  place,  Horsdumonde, 
Mrs.  Skipwith  is  a melancholy  instance,  having  for 
five  years  past  labored  under  a fever  and  ague  which 
nothing,  I think,  can  cure  but  a change  of  air.  All 
her  family  have  had  the  same  complaint,  though  at 
present  well.  They  seem  to  think  it  a thing  of  course, 
and  one  of  them,  upon  my  observing  that  her  looks 
did  not  betray  an  unhealthiness  in  the  situation,  an- 
swered that  it  was  no  wonder,  for  she  had  not  had  an 
ague  for  these  thirteen  months  past.  A miserable  ex- 
istence this. 

Bizarre,  June  12,  1796. 

Another  French  name,  but  not  quite  applicable  to 
Mr.  Richard  Randolph’s  house  at  present,  for  there 
is  nothing  bizarre  about  it  that  I can  see.  It  was, 
however,  I am  told,  justly  enough  applied  to  the  first 
house  built  on  the  estate.  My  misfortunes  have  fol- 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 

lowed  me  to  this  house.  It  rained  violently  at  Hors- 
dumonde  all  the  night  before  I left  and  yesterday 
morning.  At  eleven  I mounted  my  horse,  hoping  to 
get  to  Mr.  Venable’s  last  night.  I rode  gently 
through  the  woods,  following  a tolerably  good  road, 

crossing  first  Guinea 
Creek  and  then  Green 
Creek,  both  of  which 
were  so  swollen  by  the 
rain  as  to  be  scarcely 
fordable.  At  the  dis- 
tance of  ten  miles  I got 
to  Colonel  Beverly  Ran- 
dolph’s, who  gave  me  a 
very  distinct  direction 
through  the  woods  hith- 
er. The  weather  was 

constant  peal  of  thunder 
from  a very  black  cloud 
to  the  southwest  has- 
tened my  pace.  About  half-past  two  o’clock  I ar- 
rived at  the  last  gate  before  Mr.  Randolph’s  house, 
which  I found  I could  not  jump  without  alighting. 
I then  perceived  that  I had  lost  my  bundle  and  great- 
coat from  behind  my  saddle,  containing  all  my  draw- 
ing materials,  besides  clothes  of  some  value.  Eheu 
misere!  My  philosophy  was  nearly  worn  out  before, 


excessively  sultry,  and  a 


SKETCH  OF  EDMUND  RANDOLPH. 
Former  Secretary  of  State. 

Made  in  the  Court  of  Appeals,  Richmond, 
Va.,  April  12,  1796. 


12 


VIRGINIA  AND  ITS  PEOPLE 


but  it  quite  forsook  me  now,  and  I stood  at  the  gate, 
absent  and  uncertain  what  to  do,  for  a quarter  of  an 
hour,  to  the  great  astonishment  of  those  who  observed 
me  from  the  house,  till  a heavy  shower  reminded  me 
of  my  horse  and  the  neighboring  shelter,  and  I rode 
on  to  the  house.  I soon  forgot  my  personal  loss  at 
finding  Mr.  Randolph  very  dangerously  ill  of  an  in- 
flammatory fever.  He  induced  me,  however,  to  stay, 
and  immediately  sent  a trusty  servant  to  seek  my 
bundle,  who  in  a couple  of  hours  returned  with  it,  safe 
but  wet.  But  this  was  not  all.  The  superintendents 
of  the  river,  of  whom  I was  in  quest,  had  passed 
Bizarre  that  very  morning,  and  rendered  all  my  jour- 
ney useless.  It  was  no  comfort  to  me  that  the  voyage 
must  be  equally  so,  for  the  freshet  that  has  been  for 
a week  in  the  river  must  have  rendered  an  examination 
of  it  impossible.  From  the  moment  of  my  arrival  to 
eight  this  morning  it  has  thundered,  lightened,  and 
rained  incessantly.  The  river,  however,  remains  just 
within  its  banks.  Mr.  Randolph  is  much  worse.  His 
family,  however,  have  shown  me  every  attention  and 
kindness  in  their  power. 


Petersburg,  June  17,  1796. 

Mr.  Randolph  was  visited  about  noon  by  a medical 
practitioner  in  the  neighborhood,  Dr.  Smith.  He  ap- 
peared a man  of  good  sense.  His  opinion  was  against 
the  probability  of  Mr.  Randolph’s  recovery,  though 

13 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


masked  by  a long  string  of  hopes  and  technical  phrases. 
The  weather  cleared  up  about  noon.  I dined  with  the 
melancholy  family  of  my  host,  and  immediately  after 
set  off  for  Colonel  Skipwith’s.  My  horse  was  perfectly 
master  of  the  intricate  road  and  saved  me  the  trouble 
of  much  consideration  by  the  quickness  with  which  he 
turned  from  broad,  beaten  roads  into  the  narrow  paths 
through  which  I had  to  go.  Otherwise,  I have  no 
doubt  that  I should  have,  as  usual,  missed  my  way. 
The  two  creeks  were  so  swollen  by  the  rain  that  I had 
to  swim  through  the  middle  of  the  channels.  About 
eight  o’clock  I got  back  to  Horsdumonde,  where  I 
found  Mr.  Venable  and  Epperson  waiting  for  the 
freshet  to  subside. 

Colonel  Skipwith  is  related  to  the  Skipwiths  of 
Warwickshire  in  England.  His  brother,  Sir  Paton 
Skipwith,  is  one  of  the  very  few  who  keep  up  their 
title  in  this  country.  The  title  of  baronet  is  a phantom 
even  in  England,  having  no  real  privilege  annexed  to 
it;  here  it  is  the  lank  ghost  of  a phantom,  the  shadow 
of  a shade.  Among  the  follies  of  mankind  the  adora- 
tion of  this  title  is  one  of  the  most  unaccountable. 
Fifty  years  hence  it  will  scarcely  be  credited  in  this 
country  that  the  baronets  of  Great  Britain  should  have 
met,  appointed  a committee,  issued  advertisements, 
held  frequent  and  grave  deliberations,  and  publicly 
exhibited  a pettish  kind  of  anxiety  upon  the  subject  of 
petitioning  the  king  for  leave  to  wear  a badge  of  dis- 

14 


VIRGINIA  AND  ITS  PEOPLE 


tinction  to  distinguish  themselves  from  mere  knights 
dubbed  Sir — “ right  worshipful  on  shoulder  blade.” 
It  is  impossible  to  think  of  it  without  astonishment  and 
vexation,  and,  indeed,  a sensation  of  total  despair  that 
the  reign  of  common  sense  will  ever  be  established  in 
any  country.  Captains,  majors,  colonels,  and  generals 
elbow  a man  out  of  all  hopes  even  of  this  country. 

Colonel  Skipwith  is  a man  of  strong  mental  powers. 
His  house  is  a most  pleasant  one,  though  the  illness  of 
Mrs.  Skipwith  operates  as  a drawback.  We  were  most 
hospitably  entertained;  the  sense  and  wit  of  Messrs. 
Skipwith  and  Venable  provided  the  mental  feast.  In 
the  evening  Messrs.  Venable,  Epperson,  and  myself 
rode,  accompanied  by  Colonel  Skipwith,  part  of  the 
way  to  Captain  Patterson’s,  about  five  miles  down  the 
river.  Without  the  polish  and  refinement,  we  met  here 
the  same  hospitality  as  at  Horsdumonde.  The  house 
was  small  and  inconvenient,  and  Mr.  Venable  and 
Epperson,  Mr.  Anderson  and  I,  and  Mr.  Wily,  treas- 
urer to  the  company  of  Appomattox,  slept  in  a small 
room  upon  excellent  beds.  Mr.  Anderson  is  a country 
gentleman  from  the  neighborhood  of  Mr.  Venable’s, 
who  undertook  to  be  captain  of  our  aquatic  expedition, 
being  a perfect  adept  in  the  management  of  a boat 
among  rocks,  falls,  and  rapids.  Captain  Patterson 
furnished  us  with  a roomy  boat  he  has,  and  we  had 
got  a tilt  to  protect  us  from  the  rain  or  sun,  and  plenty 
of  good  ham,  bacon,  Indian  bread,  and  spirits.  We 

15 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 

rose  before  sunrise,  but  it  was  six  o’clock  before  we 
got  into  the  boat  ready  to  start,  as  the  Virginians  say. 
The  river  is  too  narrow  above  Clemen’s  mill  to  display 
in  all  its  beauty  the  scenery  of  its  banks.  Each  side 
is  bordered  with  trees  of  a great  variety  of  species  and 
sizes,  and  now  and  then  a bold  rock  bursts  into  the 
river.  There  is  not  much  large  timber  near  the  banks 
of  the  river.  This  is  a defect  which  deprives  the 
innumerable  pleasant  groups  of  that  boldness  which 
characterizes  them  lower  down.  About  six  we  arrived 
at  Clemen’s  mill.  With  the  assistance  of  the  people 
of  the  mill  we  got  our  boat  unloaded  and  carried  past 
the  milldam  into  the  water  below.  The  south  shore, 
upon  which  the  mill  stands,  is  a hard  rock  of  the  same 
species  of  micous  granite  which  I have  observed  to 
extend  through  Amelia  County.  Much  of  the  interest 
of  a trip  of  this  kind  arises  from  the  little  difficulties 
attending  it,  and  we  were  in  a humor  to  laugh  at  every 
seeming  inconvenience.  Having  launched  our  boat 
again,  we  went  to  breakfast  as  she  quietly  carried  us 
down  the  stream.  Mr.  Venable  and  myself  are  water 
drinkers,  the  rest  drink  grog,  and  we  all  lived  upon 
ham  and  bacon,  of  which  we  had  a great  store.  The 
same  cask  also  contains  cherries,  a few  biscuits,  and 
pones  of  Indian  and  wheat  bread.  The  social  manner 
in  which  all  these  viands  inhabit  the  same  dwelling 
produces  a sympathy  of  taste  among  them,  so  that  with 
your  eyes  shut  it  would  be  difficult  to  decide  whether 

16 


VIRGINIA  AND  ITS  PEOPLE 


you  had  a piece  of  bacon,  a cherry,  or  biscuit,  or  a 
slice  of  bread  in  your  mouth.  Whenever  we  came  to 
the  rattle  of  a spring  from  the  bank  we  recruited  our 
water  cask,  and  thus  kept  up  a constant  supply  of  cool 
beverage. 

Had  we  been  furnished  with  firearms  we  might 
have  had  plenty  of  wild  ducks,  Indian  hens,  and  king- 
fishers. The  river  abounded  chiefly  with  these  birds, 
and  innumerable  other  species  rose  incessantly  among 
the  trees.  Having  rowed  along  till  we  supposed  it 
about  twelve  o’clock — for  we  had  not  a watch  on  board 
— we  discovered  through  an  opening  a house  upon  a 
near  hill.  Anxious  to  know  whereabouts  we  were,  we 
landed  and  marched  up  in  a body  to  the  house.  We 
found  nobody  at  home.  Before  we  discovered  the 
house  we  had  made  the  banks  ring  again  with  singing 
and  hallooing  in  order  to  attract  some  one  to  the  bank 
and  partly  to  get  rid  of  our  superabundant  spirits. 
Mrs.  Brackett,  supposing  us  drunk,  had  escaped  into 
the  kitchen,  and  Mr.  Brackett  was  gone  in  search  of 
the  racket.  We  sent  a message  to  Mrs.  Brackett,  who 
then  made  her  appearance,  and  soon  afterwards  Mr. 
Brackett  returned,  and  we  were  hospitably  furnished 
with  as  much  grog  and  buttermilk  as  we  could  drink. 
Mr.  Brackett  accompanied  us  down  the  river  as  far  as 
Like’s  ford,  a shallow  part  of  the  river  which  will  re- 
quire some  improvement.  The  river  winds  amazingly 
about  Mr.  Brackett’s,  but  from  thence  to  Jeneto  its 

17 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 

direction  is  tolerably  straight.  We  got  to  Jeneto  before 
three  o’clock.  Mr.  Venable  and  myself  walked  up  to 
the  inn,  one-quarter  of  a mile  distant.  Captain  Wil- 
liamson returned  with  us,  and  furnished  us  with  a 
number  of  negroes,  who  soon  launched  our  boat  below 
the  dam  of  his  mill.  We  have  overtaken  the  freshet, 
and  the  water  was  very  deep  and  covered  all  the  shal- 
lows and  falls,  of  which  there  are  a few  below  this 
place.  Having  dined  and  added  some  of  Captain 
Williamson’s  excellent  beer  to  our  salmagundi,  we  pro- 
ceeded down  the  smooth  stream  and  arrived  about 
seven  o’clock  at  the  mouth  of  Flat  Creek,  a very  con- 
siderable stream,  which  with  little  trouble  might  be 
made  navigable  forty  miles  up  the  country.  The  river 
below  Jeneto  winds  about  so  much  as  to  run  for  a con- 
siderable extent  in  a northwesterly  direction.  We 
found  the  stream  in  Flat  Creek  so  rapid  and  so  full 
of  logs  that,  having  attempted  to  get  up  to  the  mill, 
we  were  obliged  to  return  and  land  on  the  shore  of 
the  Appomattox.  Thence  we  walked  up  the  hill  to 
Mr.  Walk’s  house,  where  we  were  determined  to  stay 
all  night,  no  introduction  or  previous  notice  being  neces- 
sary in  this  hospitable  country.  Mr.  Walk,  a sensible, 
good-humored  man,  made  his  house  so  comfortable 
and  pleasant  to  us  that  we  were  happy  to  accept  his 
polite  offer  to  send  for  Major  Eggleston  as  a pretense 
for  staying  the  greater  part  of  another  day  with  him. 
We  had  expected  to  find  Major  Eggleston  somewhere 

18 


VIRGINIA  AND  ITS  PEOPLE 


higher  up,  but  a letter  of  appointment  having  missed 
him,  we  had  neither  seen  nor  heard  of  him. 

While  we  were  waiting,  Mr.  Anderson,  with  what 
I considered  a most  desperate  intrepidity,  stripped 
himself,  and,  furnished  only  with  a pipe  of  tobacco, 
knocked  off  the  head  of  two  beehives  and  robbed  them 
of  their  contents  without  being  once  stung  by  the  thou- 
sand bees  that  were  buzzing  about  him.  In  this  cli- 
mate very  little  is  necessary  to  the  rearing  of  large 
quantities  of  bees,  and  I am  astonished  to  find  them  so 
little  attended  to.  I conceive  that  the  fourth  book  of 
Virgil’s  “ Georgies  ” would  contain  every  possible  direc- 
tion to  that  end,  as  it  was  written  in  about  the  same 
climate.  We  are  here  in  latitude  38  degrees:  Mantua, 
I believe,  is  in  latitude  43  degrees  or  44  degrees.  The 
honey  was  excellent.  All  the  use  Mr.  Anderson  made 
of  his  pipe  was  to  drive  the  bees  from  the  upper  to  the 
lower  parts  of  the  hive,  lest  they  should  get  drowned 
in  honey.  In  coming  down  the  river  we  saw  many 
swarms  and  hives  of  wild  bees.  They  are  not  indige- 
nous. Jefferson  tells  us  that  they  precede  the  European 
settlements  in  propagating  themselves  to  the  westward, 
and  are  called  by  the  Indians  the  white  man’s  fly. 

Neither  the  messenger  nor  Major  Eggleston  hav- 
ing returned  at  two  o’clock,  we  dined,  and  immediately 
afterwards  got  our  things  on  board  and  proceeded  down 
the  river,  which  had  fallen  considerably.  The  weather 
had  been  cloudy  since  yesterday  noon,  and  it  began  to 

19 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 

thunder  soon  after  our  departure.  About  six  o’clock 
our  tempers  were  completely  tried  by  a most  violent 
thunderstorm  and  rain  which  drove  us  under  the  lofty 
trees  of  the  bank.  Their  protection  was  but  of  short 
duration,  for  the  rain,  which  exceeded  any  that  I have 
yet  seen,  soon  poured  in  streams  from  the  leaves,  and 
we  were  all  wet  to  the  skin.  About  seven  o’clock  we 
arrived  at  Watkins’s  mill,  and  having  stored  our  goods, 
we  proceeded  to  the  house,  about  a mile  distant  upon 
the  hill  on  the  left  bank.  Upon  approaching  the  yard 
we  were  attacked  by  half  a dozen  dogs.  We  got, 
however,  safe  to  the  house.  Old  Mrs.  Watkins  sat  at 
the  door,  apologized  for  having  set  the  dogs  upon  us, 
not  knowing  who  we  were,  and  informed  us  that  her 
son  Dick  was  in  bed.  Mr.  Walk,  who  is  his  brother- 
in-law,  undertook  to  wake  him,  and  in  about  ten  min- 
utes appeared  our  minute  host,  a proper  study  for 
Lavater.  His  manner  expressed  just  as  much  haughti- 
ness and  conceit  as  it  excited  contempt.  A total  want 
of  good  breeding  might  have  been  forgiven,  good 
sense  cannot  be  acquired;  but  civil  hospitality  is  the 
spontaneous  impulse  of  the  savage.  Mr.  Venable,  with 
that  good  sense  and  mildness  of  temper  which  is  natural 
to  him,  and  Mr.  Epperson,  the  best-humored  man  in 
the  world,  stood  the  brunt  of  his  insolence.  Silence 
protected  me  in  a great  measure,  though  not  entirely, 
and  Mr.  Walk  was  too  much  chagrined  to  say  any- 
thing. We  were  wet  and  hungry,  but  neither  accom- 


20 


VIRGINIA  AND  ITS  PEOPLE 


modation  nor  food  was  offered.  Before  nine  o’clock 
Mr.  Watkins  took  up  a candle  and  said: 

“ Gentlemen,  I will  show  you  your  beds.”  He  led 
us  into  a small  room  containing  beds  for  four  of  us, 
and,  putting  the  candle  down,  walked  away  without 
saying  a word.  We  had  asked  him  to  permit  some  of 
his  negroes  to  help  us  in  getting  our  boat  around  his 
mill.  His  answer  was: 

“ If  it  rains,  they  may  assist  you  if  they  like.  If 
fair,  I wish  them  to  be  in  the  wheat-field.” 

At  six  o’clock  we  escaped  from  the  house  and  got 
to  our  boat,  which  we  contrived  to  get  around  by  our- 
selves, though  with  difficulty.  Before  we  were  gone 
he  came  down  and  continued  his  insulting  language. 
It  was  met  with  temper  and  contempt.  The  instance 
of  rude  inhospitality  is  so  extraordinary  that  I take 
Dick  Watkins  to  be  a mere  lapsus  nature.  Hogarth 
somewhere  records  a singular  caricature  of  a very 
slender  Italian  singer,  of  which  everybody  discovered 
the  original  at  first  sight.  It  was  nothing  but  a straight 
line  with  a dot  over  it.  Had  I the  talent  of  Hogarth 
I think  I could  represent  both  the  body  and  mind  of 
this  animal  under  the  same  form. 

We  ate  our  pork-cherry-pone  dinner  at  a fine  spring 
near  Moore’s  mill  and  then  proceeded  to  the  falls, 
which  commence  about  four  miles  lower  down.  The 
river  there  is  divided  by  numerous  rocky  islands  cov- 
ered with  beautiful  trees.  We  passed  several  small 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 

falls  without  much  alarm.  Mr.  Anderson  is  com- 
pletely master  of  his  pole,  and  exerted  himself  with 
great  skill.  Trailer’s  Falls,  however,  are  a most  seri- 
ous obstruction.  The  river  tumbles  down  a ledge  of 
rocks  among  some  islands  which  scarce  offer  any  toler- 
able opening.  We  were  directed  entirely  by  chance  in 
our  choice  of  a passage.  We  kept  the  right  bank,  and 
by  very  great  exertion  arrived  in  smooth  water,  which 
continued  about  a quarter  of  a mile  to  the  second  and 
most  dangerous  part  of  Trailer’s  Falls.  We  were  not 
so  fortunate  here,  for,  Mr.  Anderson’s  pole  breaking, 
we  hung  upon  a rock  in  the  worst  part  of  the  cataract, 
and  were  all  preparing  to  go  overboard  when  we  got 
again  into  a sluice,  and  soon  after  were  dashed  into  a 
tolerably  smooth  surface.  Half  a mile  lower  down  the 
gang  of  negroes  belonging  to  the  company  were  at 
work.  We  landed  on  the  north  side,  about  a mile 
distant. 

Petersburg,  April  21,  1796. 

Everybody  here  is  so  engaged  in  talking  of  Lamp- 
lighter, the  Shark  mare,  the  Carolina  horse,  etc.,  that 
I am  as  much  at  a loss  for  conversation  as  if  I were 
among  the  Hottentots.  There  indeed  I should  be 
much  better  off,  for  I could  talk  to  the  women  without 
knowing  their  language.  But  the  case  is  desperate  in 
a house  occupied  by  seventy  men  in  leather  breeches. 
I rode  yesterday  to  see  the  race,  accompanied  by  Mr, 


22 


JAMES  RIVER  FALLS. 


VIRGINIA  AND  ITS  PEOPLE 


Thomas  Shore.  I meant  to  have  taken  my  quarters 
with  him,  but  he  is  at  present  building,  and  occupies 
his  offices  only,  which  in  Virginia  seem  to  follow  the 
dwelling  house  as  a litter  of  pigs  their  mother.  The 
accommodations  at  Mrs.  Armstead’s  are  quite  as  good 
as  you  ought  to  expect  at  such  a time  as  this.  I slept 
in  a garret  with  seven  other  gentlemen.  Their  dif- 
ferent merits  of  snoring  I could  descant  upon  at  great 
length,  having  been  a wakeful  listener  a greater  part 
of  the  night,  and  could  I have  got  a previous  bet  I 
should  have  laid  any  odds  upon  my  old  shipmate,  Mar- 
tin, but  he  was  distanced  hollow  by  Mr.  Ruffin,  who 
snored,  indeed,  like  a ruffian.  I am,  however,  afraid 
that  the  subject  might  prove  more  soporific  in  writing 
than  it  did  to  me  in  fact. 

The  concourse  upon  the  race  ground  was  very  great 
indeed — perhaps  fifteen  hundred  persons.  It  cannot 
be  of  much  interest  to  know  that  Lamplighter,  the 
favorite  of  the  field,  upon  whom  all  the  odds  were  laid, 
was  beaten  two  successive  heats,  and  came  in  only  third. 
A light,  delicate  horse  from  North  Carolina  won  with 
ease.  I have  now  got  into  Mr.  Shore’s  house  for  the 
day,  and  feel  a little  more  at  home  than  in  the  buzz 
of  betting  on  the  course. 


Petersburg,  April  23,  1796. 

I have  neither  books,  pencils,  brushes,  nor  colors, 
nor  any  other  drawing  materials  at  this  place,  and  my 
5 23 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


refuge  from  ennui,  drinking,  and  gambling  is  reduced, 
therefore,  to  a sheet  of  bad  paper  and  my  pen.  Hav- 
ing once  lived  in  a Polish  ale-house  for  four  days  dur- 
ing a fair  which  had  collected  all  the  Jews  and  Gentiles 
from  fifty  miles  around  under  one  miserable  roof,  I 
cannot  say  that  my  residence  at  Mr.  Armstead’s  tavern 
affords  any  scenes  that  are  entirely  new  to  me.  The 
multitude  of  colonels  and  majors  with  which  I am  sur- 
rounded bring  back  the  nobles  of  the  Polish  republic 
to  my  recollection,  whose  power  and  respectability 
were  much  upon  the  same  level.  The  only  difference 
is  that  instead  of  Counts  Borolabraski  and  Leschinski 
and  Latroblastmygutski  and  Skratchmypolobrambolo- 
boski,  we  have  here  Colonel  Tom  and  Colonel  Dick 
and  Major  Billy  and  Colonel  Ben  and  Captain  Tit- 
mouse and  General  Rattlesnake  and  Brigadier-General 
Opossum.  The  rabble  in  leather  breeches  which  fills 
up  the  vacuities  of  swearing  and  noise  is  scarcely  dis- 
tinguishable in  the  two  places — only  indeed  by  this 
difference,  that  we  are  here  at  a loss  for  even  a Jewish 
rabbi  to  help  out  the  appearance  of  religion,  and  a 
box  of  lemon  and  sealing  wax  to  represent  commerce. 

I was  invited,  with  several  other  gentlemen,  to  dine 
with  Dr.  Shore.  About  an  hour  before  dinner  I was 
at  his  door.  I found  there  many  other  gentlemen,  all 
honorable  men,  no  doubt,  very  busy  indeed.  They 
were  doing  no  harm,  only  playing  at  loo.  A very 
sumptuous  dinner  soon  made  me  acquainted  with  Mrs. 

24 


VIRGINIA  AND  ITS  PEOPLE 


Shore,  a very  pleasant  lady,  who  with  great  ease  and 
goodness  of  temper  presided  over  a company  of  twenty- 
eight  men.  After  dinner,  and  one  bumper  to  the 
President’s  health,  the  whole  party  adjourned  to  the 
drawing-room.  Loo,  the  most  trifling  of  the  ingenious 
contrivances  invented  to  keep  folk  from  the  vile  habit 
of  biting  their  nails,  made  a very  large  party  happy, 
whist  affording  a more  sulky  delight  to  a few  more. 
The  rattling  of  dollars  is  a very  pleasant  sound  when 
it  is  at  last  smothered  by  the  folds  of  your  own  pocket. 
To  me,  whose  pockets  and  mind  remained  equally 
void,  it  was  a great  relief  to  go  and  chatter  to  Mrs. 
Shore  and  a few  ladies  who  called  upon  her  in  the 
afternoon.  Just  before  a magnificent  supper  was  com- 
pletely arranged  I walked  off  with  Jack  Willis,  re- 
solved to  go  to  bed.  I had  got  a bed  in  a neighboring 
house,  where  only  six  gentlemen  slept  in  the  same  room. 
But  alas!  after  knocking  and  bawling  for  half  an  hour 
at  the  door  of  the  room,  in  which  a light  was  visible 
through  the  cracks,  a tremendous  yawn,  which  preceded 
the  slow  drawing  of  the  bolt,  ushered  me  in — to  dis- 
appointment. A huge  mulatto,  more  than  half  naked, 
had  been  left  to  guard  the  room.  Overcome  with  sleep 
and  toddy  he  had  stretched  himself  upon  my  bed,  in- 
dulging the  former  and  evacuating  the  latter.  It  was 
not  to  be  endured,  and  I returned  to  the  inn. 

Here  in  the  interval  had  Falstaff  with  Harris, 
Haydon  and  Sam  Overton,  his  Nym,  Pistol,  and  Bar- 

■ 25 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 

dolph,  established  the  throne  of  Pharo  and  assembled 
his  hosts  around  him.  However,  I went  upstairs  and 
got  into  bed  in  the  shedded  barrack.  Another  sober 
man  or  two  also  lay  down,  but  the  explosions  of  joy 
from  below  banished  sleep  till  past  twelve.  I am 
ashamed  of  my  apathy,  for  I really  outslept  the  remain- 
ing raptures  of  the  night,  nor  should,  I believe,  even 
have  opened  my  eyes  at  six  o’clock  had  not  a heavy 
mass  which  then  fell  upon  my  bed,  with  the  eructation 
“ By  your  leave,”  recalled  my  senses.  The  motion  by 
which  I freed  my  legs  from  the  weight  which  oppressed 
them  might  have  been  injurious  to  my  eyes  had  they 
not  been  closed,  for  the  colonel  (it  was  a colonel,  you 
must  know)  called  out,  “ Damn  your  eyes,  lay  still.” 
After  extorting  an  apology  and  a promise  of  good 
behavior,  I left  him  in  quiet  possession  of  the  ground 
and  got  up.  Upon  going  downstairs  I found  myself 
surrounded  by  half  a dozen  colonels  and  as  many 
majors  in  different  states  of  intoxication  and  noise. 
The  subalterns  were  still  rattling  the  dollars  below. 
By  eight  o’clock  most  of  them  had  staggered  out  of 
the  house  or  into  their  beds. 

Petersburg,  April  24,  1796. 

Close  to  the  river  Appomattox  is  a little  house 
inhabited  by  a man  whose  brother  I knew  in  England. 
He  has  a large  concern  of  distillery,  bakehouse,  and 
mills  here,  and  under  the  idea  that  I might  be  useful 

26 


VIRGINIA  AND  ITS  PEOPLE 


to  him,  Major  Murray  (a  major  de  facto ) introduced 
me  to  him.  His  house  stands  upon  a very  high  bank, 
under  which  the  river  steals  along  and  winds  away  into 
beautiful  woods  to  the  right,  and  to  the  left  washes  the 
town  of  Petersburg.  Mr.  Bate  is  also  proprietor  of 
the  race  ground  and  the  buildings  belonging  to  it.  He 


is  also  one  of  the  stewards  of  the  course.  I rode  with 
him  to  the  field.  It  was  the  same  thing  over  again. 
Upon  the  whole,  I think  running  matches  a useful  as 
well  as  a very  amusing  entertainment.  It  encourages 
a taste  for  and  an  inclination  to  breed  handsome 
horses.  The  mischief  they  do  is,  I believe,  not  pecul- 
iar to  horse  racing,  but  attendant  upon  all  concourses 
of  men  for  the  purpose  of  amusement.  Betting  at  a 

27 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 

horse  race,  I believe,  is  an  English  passion.  Upon  the 
continent  of  Europe  high  play  is  carried  to  its  utmost 
extent,  but  I do  not  think,  from  my  recollection  of 
manners,  that  horse  racing  would  be  considered  on  the 
Continent  as  a subject  into  which  gambling  could  deeply 
enter.  There  is  a work  written  in  his  own  fascinating 
style  by  Mercier,  author  of  the  “ Tableaux  de  Paris,” 
entitled  “ La  Quinzaine  Anglaise  a Paris,”  which,  I 
believe,  has  been  translated  into  English.  It  contains, 
if  I recollect  right,  a very  excellent  chapter  on  horse 
racing,  and  the  idea  of  betting  upon  running  horses  is 
therein  assumed  to  be  entirely  English.  Gibbon  has 
entered  deeply  into  the  business  of  the  blue  and  green 
factions  at  the  chariot  races  of  Rome  and  Constanti- 
nople. I entirely  have  forgotten  the  merits  of  the 
betting  question,  but  they  cut  throats  upon  these  occa- 
sions, an  addition  to,  if  not  an  improvement  upon, 
the  degree  of  interest  we  take  in  the  running  of  our 
horses.  The  Greeks,  I think,  were  entirely  ignorant 
of  the  pleasures  of  betting.  I have  been  delving  into 
the  metaphysics  of  this  strange  passion,  and  have  at 
last  found  out  that  a bet  is  a mental  dram.  It  exhila- 
rates and  stimulates  the  mind  till  it  has  worked  off. 
Its  effect  is  then  gone,  and  is,  on  the  losing  side,  fol- 
lowed by  sickness  and  qualms;  on  the  winning,  by  lassi- 
tude and  debility  and  a longing  for  another  dram. 
Intoxication  is  in  both  the  consequence.  The  amuse- 
ments of  the  theater  would  be  useful  to  interrupt  the 

28 


VIRGINIA  AND  ITS  PEOPLE 


gambling  and  drunkenness  of  the  evening.  But  there 
are  no  players  here  at  present. 

About  nine  o’clock  in  the  evening  I got  back  to  the 
barrack,  which  I found  in  a dreadful  state  of  warfare. 
Lieutenant  Williams  had  said  that  General  Bradley 
was  as  great  a fool  as  himself.  It  is  true  that  a greater 
affront  could  not  be  offered  to  any  man,  but  the  fury 
with  which  the  affront  was  taken  up  was  astonishing 
even  to  me  whose  motto  here  had  become  Nil  admirari. 
Six  men,  each  six  feet  high,  swore,  bawled,  cursed, 
damned,  blasted,  drank  punch  for  nine  hours  uninter- 
ruptedly without  settling  the  important  affair.  The 
most  valiant  of  these  champions  was  a colonel  and 
representative  of  this  county — ci  devant  sergeant  of 
regulars  and  Methodist  preacher.  The  rest  were  to  a 
man  colonels  and  majors  whose  stentorian  rhetoric 
stunned  me  while  I remained  below,  that  is,  from  nine 
till  one  o’clock.  I then  retired  to  the  eight-bedded 
barrack,  but  to  sleep  before  three  o’clock  was  impos- 
sible. At  eight  I rose  and  found  Lieutenant  Williams 
still  upon  his  legs,  who  upon  my  appearance  wreaked 
his  half-spent  vengeance  upon  my  spectacles,  challeng- 
ing me  to  fight  for  a hat.  In  the  fray  the  faro  table 
was  overset,  the  dollars  scrambled  for,  and  all  the 
host  put  to  flight. 


T 


29 


CHAPTER  II 


VIRGINIA  and  ITS  people — continued 

ARRIVED  about  eight  o’clock  at  Alexandria. 

About  half-past  eight  the  Philadelphia  com- 
pany of  players  who  are  now  acting  in  a 
barn  in  the  neighborhood  came  in  in  a body.  They 
had  been  at  a “ drinking  party  ” in  the  neighborhood. 
Once,  in  Virginia,  these  drinking  parties  had  a much 
more  modest  name — they  were  called  “ barbecues.” 
Now  they  say  at  once  a “ drinking  party.”  And  as 
insincerity  gets  the  better  of  hypocrisy,  or,  to  use  the 
more  clerical  and  decent  phrase,  as  vice  expels  shame, 
we  shall  have  the  nature  of  the  meeting  explained  at 
once  by  hearing  it  called  a “ drunken  party.” 

This  honorable  company  was  shown  at  first  into 
a small  room  opposite  the  supper  room,  where  those 
who  could  not  stand  sat  down.  The  others  filled  the 
passage  and  hiccoughed  into  the  faces  of  those  who 
had  business  at  the  bar.  In  this  small  room  two  or 
three  songs  were  well  sung,  and,  mellowed  by  the  dis- 
tance, the  sound  arrived  pleasantly  enough  in  the  sup- 
per room  where  I was  writing. 

30 


VIRGINIA  AND  ITS  PEOPLE 


About  nine  my  last  night’s  sleeplessness  induced  me 
to  go  to  bed.  I was  shown  into  the  hall  room,  where 
eight  beds  were  arranged  for  that  class  of  citizens  so 
little  respected  at  taverns,  stage  passengers.  I lay 
down,  and  as  I was  the  only  one  in  the  room  I should 
soon  have  fallen  asleep  had  not  messieurs  the  players 
become  dissatisfied  with  their  accommodations  in  the 
small  room  and  insisted  upon  a larger.  That  immedi- 
ately under  me  was  assigned  them,  and  the  movement 
commenced.  For  more  than  half  an  hour  the  racket 
continued.  It  was  more  like  the  breaking  up  of  a 
camp  than  a change  of  room  in  the  same  house.  To 
arrange  chairs  and  tables,  and  perhaps  to  get  a deviled 
bone  or  other  light  supper  for  these  mock  kings  and 
princes,  was  not  a work  that  could  be  done  without  a 
corresponding  eclat.  The  shifting  of  the  scene  pro- 
duced, therefore,  as  much  noise  of  men  and  things  as 
did  ample  justice  to  its  importance.  Noise  seems  to 
be  universally  considered  as  the  evidence  of  mirth  and 
hilarity  (quite  different  things  from  happiness),  from 
the  burst  of  cannon  on  the  coronation  of  Bonaparte  to 
the  horse-laugh  of  a fool  or  the  drum  of  a child. 

As  now  the  furniture  became  silent,  the  clamor 
made  up  the  deficiency  for  an  hour.  Screeching,  halloo- 
ing,  roaring,  laughing,  and  simultaneous  conversation 
continued,  till  at  last  the  cry  of,  “ Order,  gentlemen ! 
Silence  for  a song!  ” And  the  knocking  that  accom- 
panied these  festal  rounds  drowned  every  other. 

3i 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


“ Time  has  not  thinned  my  flowing  hair,”  was 
struck  up  by  Robbins,  at  least  a sixth  too  high. 

“ That  won’t  do,”  cried  Francis.  “ Time  has  not 
thinned  my  flowing  hair.”  (This  time  a third  too  low.) 

“ Both  wrong,”  exclaimed  Wood.  “ Listen,  this 
is  the  key:  ‘ Time  has  not  thinned  my  flowing  hair.’  ” 

Now  on  they  went,  too  low  for  Robbins’s  falsetto 
and  too  high  for  his  natural  voice,  and  just  hovering 
over  the  crack  that  separates  Francis’s  bass  from  his 
treble. 

Would  to  mercy  on  my  ears,  thought  I,  that  water 
had  thinned  your  flowing  grog.  However,  they  got 
through  it  fairly  well,  for  they  sang  this  hackneyed, 
but  always  incomparable,  duet  both  in  time  and  in  tune. 
Roars  of  approbation  and  talking  all  together  in  a body. 
“ Toby  Philpot,”  “ Boony  Bet,”  and  all  the  old  rou- 
tine of  English  drinking  songs  succeeded,  with  inter- 
ludes of  noise,  till  at  last  “ My  friend  so  rare,  my  girl 
so  fair,  my  friend,  my  girl,  and  pitcher,”  seemed  to 
have  exhausted  their  lungs  and  their  tempo  into  a gen- 
eral crash,  slamming  and  knocking  of  chairs  and  tables 
around  the  room.  And  then  silence  as  they  filed  out, 
but  it  was  not  of  long  duration.  It  broke  out  again 
immediately.  But  the  clock  had  struck  one,  the  party 
was  breaking  up,  and  I rejoiced  in  the  prospect  of 
three  hours’  sleep  before  I should  be  called  to  proceed 
by  the  stage.  My  joy  was  premature.  Several  of  the 
worthies  choose  to  sleep  at  the  tavern,  and  they  were 

32 


y 


BILLIARDS  AT  A COUNTRY  TAVERN. 


VIRGINIA  AND  ITS  PEOPLE 


ushered  into  the  room  exactly  over  my  head;  to  go  to 
bed  quietly  would  have  been  entirely  out  of  character. 
The  corporeal  exercise  of  this  sort  of  gentry  had  no 
scope  below;  upstairs  all  was  roomy  and  the  party 
select.  Wrestling,  tumbling,  dancing,  pulling  about 
bedsteads  were  the  gymnastic  exercises  with  which  the 
night  was  concluded.  Between  three  and  four  all  was 
still;  a feverish  doze  took  possession  of  my  senses,  and 
scarcely  had  I forgotten  myself  before  the  half-sleep- 
ing waiter  yawned  to  me  that  the  stage  waited  at 
the  door. 

Philosophy  and  self-command  had  many  oppor- 
tunities of  exerting  themselves  in  this  motley  world. 
To  quit  a warm  bed  in  order  to  get  into  a stage  is 
one  of  the  severest  trials  to  which  a man  can  be  put. 
But  “ no  help  for  it  ” is  the  spur  that  effects  this 
achievement. 

Happiness,  convenience,  comfort,  bien-etre,  it  may 
be  said,  in  mass  and  in  detail  depends  altogether  upon 
habit,  excepting  in  cases  in  which  physical  pain  or 
pleasure  or  the  disappointments  of  natural  wants  are 
concerned. 

This  premise  I deny.  There  is  a great  deal  more 
in  the  science  of  the  French — the  savoir-vivre — than  is 
admitted  by  the  English  and  the  clergy  of  all  nations 
and  denominations. 

In  my  trips  to  the  quarries  to  look  over  the  stone 

33 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 

destined  for  the  public  buildings,  I have  remarked  upon 
the  hundreds  of  half-starved,  miserably  lodged,  idle, 
besotted,  and  fever-smitten  families  that  inhabit  the 
country  on  the  Potomac,  and  indeed  all  the  back 
country  of  the  slave  States  below  the  mountains. 

These  people  are  either  tenants  to  great  landhold- 
ers or  possess  little  farms  themselves  or  only  inhabit 
miserable  log  houses,  and  hire  themselves  occasionally 
as  laborers.  The  river  and  creeks  supply  them  most 
amply  in  ordinary  seasons  with  shad  and  herring  at 
the  expense  of  little  labor  and  salt.  A few  pigs  and 
fowl  and  a cow  are  kept  at  scarcely  any  expense  in 
the  woods.  The  pigs  furnish  bacon,  the  cows  a scanty 
supply  of  milk.  The  little  labor  these  people  do  for 
themselves  (and  generally  they  cultivate  but  little 
land)  gives  them  as  much  corn  as  supports  them  and 
a few  vegetables,  viz.,  cabbage  to  their  bacon.  And 
the  smaller  amount  of  labor  they  perform  for  others 
brings  them  in  their  deficient  meal,  their  few  groceries, 
and  the  great  source  of  their  bliss — whisky. 

The  wretched  women,  who  with  few  exceptions  are 
but  mere  beasts  of  burden,  spin  a little  and  make  up 
household  clothes  of  all  sorts,  cotton  chiefly,  and  also 
lindsey,  and  earn  a little  whisky  by  spinning  for  more 
decent  and  wealthy  neighbors.  This  tribe  of  wretched 
(I  am  told  they  are  happy!)  families  is  numerous  bn 
all  conscience,  and  their  votes  at  election  time  are  not 
unimportant  in  the  new  and  peculiar  phase  of  politics. 

34 


VIRGINIA  AND  ITS  PEOPLE 


Within  a mile  of  Mr.  Robertson’s  quarry  are  fifteen 
such  families,  from  whom,  to  use  Mrs.  Tuttle’s  phrase, 
you  cannot  borrow  a gridle’s  bacon. 

Colonel  Cook  insists  upon  it  that  we  have  not  in 
our  everyday  existence,  and  that  I have  not  in  my  pro- 
fessional interests,  means  of  happiness  equal  to  what 
whisky  is  to  them. 

“ But  the  ague  and  fever?  ” quoth  I. 

“ They  don’t  mind  it  half  so  much  as  you  do  the 
vexations  of  your  public  concerns.” 

“ But  the  dripping  roofs  of  their  huts;  the  open 
state  of  their  log  walls,  which  admit  the  winter’s  blast 
from  every  quarter;  their  wretched  food,  often  scanty, 
never  certain;  their  constant  fighting  and  quarreling 
with  each  other;  the  poverty,  the  disease!  ” 

“ Hold,  hold!  ” exclaims  Colonel  Cook.  “ I shall 
forget  half  of  this  Pandora’s  box  of  questions.  First, 
there  is  always  some  dry  corner  under  their  dripping 
roofs,  and  if  they  get  wet,  whisky  keeps  the  cold  out 
Second,”  says  he,  “ whisky  is  better  than  a tight  wall 
against  a northwestern  gate.  Third,  whisky  is  a sub- 
stitute for  solid  food,  and  an  hour’s  labor  earns  a day’s 
drunkenness;  fighting  is  a mere  amusement,  and  all 
quarrels  may  be  made  up  over  a glass  of  whisky.  As 
to  the  lesser  of  the  immaterial  comforts,  they  count 
them  small.  Less  worry  they  take  over  them  than  you 
do  about  a mosquito  bite.” 

And  what  can 'be  said  to  all  this,  alas!  alas! 

35 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


When  I sat  down  to  write,  however,  it  was  not 
about  these  wretches  that  I meant  to  spend  my  ink 
and  paper,  but  Colonel  Cook’s  arguments  popped  in 
upon  my  memory  and  drew  away  my  original  range 
of  thought.  I sat  down  to  find  fault  with  the  personal 
manners  of  my  country,  at  least  this  part  of  it.  By 
personal  manners  I mean  everything  that  relates  to 
habits  of  cleanliness  and  living,  food  and  domestic 
arrangements.  I must  confess  that  many  of  these 
things  are  much  better  ordered  in  England  than 
with  us,  which  may  be  the  effect  of  older  customs  and 
usages.  . . . 

Take  the  traveler.  The  half-dozen  or  ten  hours 
which  intervene  between  his  being  set  down  abruptly 
by  the  stage  at  the  best  tavern  between  New  York  and 
Norfolk  and  his  being  taken  up  again  in  the  morning 
are  far  from  pleasurable. 

In  the  first  place  he  sups  at  the  ordinary.  There 
are  probably  two  or  three  clerks,  young,  permanent 
residents,  farmers,  physicians,  etc.,  who,  boarding  at 
the  house,  have  the  control  of  the  waiters  and  of  all 
the  accommodations,  especially  as  to  the  hours  of 
meals.  A stage  passenger  is  everywhere  a little  below 
the  rank  of  any  other  citizen  (those  wTho  travel  in 
their  private  conveyances,  of  course,  are  different). 

The  youngsters  at  the  table  are  often  loud  talkers, 
and  their  subjects  are  (O  tempora,  O mores!)  the  last 
drunken  bout  and  the  girls.  This  is  unpleasant,  but 

36 


VIRGINIA  AND  ITS  PEOPLE 


it  is  best  to  be  silent  in  such  cases,  and  that  is  an  effectual 
resource. 


EXPEDITION  TO  THE  DISMAL  SWAMP 

Suffolk,  June  io,  1797. 

About  the  beginning  of  the  month,  Mr.  Macauley, 
merchant  of  York,  the  acting  director  of  the  Old  Dis- 
mal Swamp  Land  Company,  engaged  me  to  go  down 
to  the  Swamp  to  survey  the  boundaries  of  the  com- 
pany’s property,  and  to  point  out  such  improvements 
as  might  occur  to  me  as  a professional  man. 

On  Tuesday,  the  6th  of  June,  we  intended  to  go 
down  to  York  by  the  stage,  and  having  stayed  there 
a day  or  two,  to  cross  the  James  River  to  Smithfield, 
and  then  to  proceed  to  Suffolk.  But  by  some  mistake 
the  stage  set  off  without  us.  We  therefore  resolved 
to  go  to  Petersburg  and  take  the  south  side  of  the 
river.  Our  companions  in  the  carriage  were  Mr. 
George  Hay,  of  Petersburg,  and  Mr.  Parker,  of  Smith- 
field.  We  breakfasted  at  Osborn’s  and  arrived  about 
eleven  in  Petersburg. 

Soon  after  our  arrival  at  Bob  Armstead’s  a tall, 
well-looking  young  man  introduced  himself  to  me,  and 
presently  entered  into  a very  lively  conversation  upon 
horses,  their  diseases,  the  best  mode  of  treating  them; 
gave  me  a very  intelligent  account  of  an  extraordinary 
marsh  upon  his  estate  in  Lunenburg  County,  and  was 
so  witty  and  good-humored  that  I thought  his  acquaint- 

37 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


ance  an  acquisition.  He  dined  with  us,  became  equally 
acquainted  with  Mr.  Macauley,  and  seemed  to  be  the 
life  of  the  whole  company.  He  procured  our  names 
and  gave  us  his,  which  was  John  Mason. 

I spent  the  evening  at  Mr.  Hay’s,  and  returned  to 
the  inn  about  nine  o’clock. 

The  company  had  just  sat  down  to  supper,  and 
Mason  was  one  of  the  party. 

As  soon  as  he  saw  me  he  called  out,  u Walk  in, 
Billy  Keely.”  I thought  him  drunk.  He  then  intro- 
duced me  to  the  gentlemen  sitting  to  his  right  and  left. 

“ This  is  Mr.  Jones,  a very  honest,  humane  little 
gentleman,  as  you  may  tell  by  the  shape  of  his  nose; 
and  this  is  Mr.  Brown,  as  quiet  a good  soul  as  you’ll 
meet  in  a thousand;  and  this,  sir,  is  the  true  Billy 
Keely.” 

“ Pray,  sir,”  said  I,  “ is  Billy  Keely  a title  of  dis- 
tinction or  a noun  proper?  ” 

“ Sir,”  said  he,  “ let  me  tell  you  who  Billy  Keely 
is.  The  Billy  Keelys  are  a numerous  family,  and  by 
the  cut  of  your  jib,  or  your  physiognomy,  as  the 
learned  say — to  which,  by  the  bye,  I have  taken  a very 
particular  fancy — I know  you  are  one  of  them.  Billy 
Keely  is  a soft,  humane,  quiet,  and  accommodating 
gentleman,  suiting  himself  to  dispositions,  tempers,  cir- 
cumstances, and  times.  He  never  contradicts  roughly, 
never  finds  fault,  never  is  out  of  humor,  never  quarrel- 
His  opinions  are  right,  correct,  and  virtuous. 
38 


some. 


VIRGINIA  AND  ITS  PEOPLE 


You  think  he  converses,  while  he  argues;  you  think 
you  have  convinced  him,  but  he  has  changed  your 
own  opinions.  You  think  you  have  conquered,  but 
he  has  triumphed.  Mankind  is  a great  deal  better 
for  Billy  Keely.  He  relieves  the  distressed,  comforts 
the  sorrowful,  and  makes  all  sad  faces  put  on  a 
smile.” 

“ You  do  me  much  honor,”  said  I,  “ to  adopt  me 
into  this  family  of  Billy  Keelys,  and  I am  very  happy 
to  find  so  many  of  my  relatives  in  this  circle,  for  I 
observe  that  you  give  them  all  the  same  name.” 

“ They  are  all  good  fellows,”  said  he,  “ all  Billy 
Keelys,  and  we  will  drink  a bottle  together.”  He  then 
ordered  a bottle.  Some  of  it  was  drunk.  He  ran  on 
for  above  an  hour  in  the  same  eccentric,  mad  way,  till 
he  and  I were  the  only  members  of  the  Billy  Keely 
family  left.  In  the  course  of  the  evening  he  discov- 
ered my  fondness  for  natural  history,  and  immediately 
turned  the  conversation  to  the  subject  of  Dr.  Green- 
away’s studies.  He  had  been  educated  by  that  very 
extraordinary  man,  and  this  explained  his  acquaintance 
with  learned  terms  and  subjects.  I thought  him  ex- 
cessively drunk,  though  everything  he  said  was  very 
rational.  But  it  was  wildly  arranged,  and  he  started 
from  one  subject  to  another  without  any  apparent 
connection. 

I hoped  by  his  means  to  procure  some  books  left 
by  the  late  Dr.  Greenaway,  and  which  his  widow  wishes 

39 


o 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 

to  sell.  It  was  with  difficulty  I escaped  from  him 
to  bed. 

June  nth.  About  half-past  six  I came  downstairs, 
and  found  my  friend  Billy  Keely  waiting  for  me.  He 
had  just  prepared  a mint  julep.  “ Sir,”  said  he,  “ you 
do  not  drink  spirit,  I know,  but  still  we  may  take  this 
julep  together.  I will  drink  the  spirit,  you  take  the 
botanical  part.  I am  a Virginian  dram-drinker,  you 
a disciple  of  Linnaeus.” 

I was  very  sorry  to  see  him  appear  so  drunk,  and 
hoped  to  escape  from  him  by  going  to  breakfast  with 
Mr.  Macauley  to  Mr.  George  Hay’s,  but  it  was  in 
vain.  He  had  fastened  upon  me  like  a leech,  and  he 
declared  he  would  accompany  us.  He  did  so,  to  the 
utmost  distress  of  the  excellent  family.  However,  he 
was  so  witty,  his  observations  were  so  shrewd  and 
original  that  he  kept  us  exceedingly  merry  till  it  be- 
came necessary  to  return  to  the  inn  in  order  to  proceed 
by  the  stage.  It  would  be  impossible  to  follow  him 
through  four  minutes’  duration  of  his  eccentric  talk. 
Like  the  plays  of  Reynolds,  which  depend  upon  unex- 
pected incident,  stage  effect,  the  humor  of  the  per- 
former, and  the  very  ridiculous  effect  of  his  selection  of 
words,  the  conversation  of  Mason  would  perhaps  ap- 
pear extremely  insipid  if  read. 

On  our  return  there  happened  to  be  a gentleman 
on  the  porch,  unlike  Mason  in  every  respect  except  for 
his  extreme  fondness  for  talking.  As  soon  as  he  saw 

40 


VIRGINIA  AND  ITS  PEOPLE 

him  Mason  proceeded  to  the  attack.  He  introduced 
him  to  me  under  the  most  ridiculous  though  indecent 
name.  “ Sir,”  said  he,  “ this  is  a very  particular  and 
entertaining  friend  of  mine,  a very  distant  relative  of 
Billy  Keely,  a great  talker — almost  as  bad  as  myself — 
and  above  all,  let  me  tell  you,  a most  honest  man,  the 
most  honest  man,  I may  say,  in  Petersburg.  For  you 
will  observe,”  continued  he,  turning  to  me  and  speak- 
ing in  a half  whisper,  “ there  goes  a great  deal  of  very 
strong  sense  to  make  a great  rascal.”  His  friend  had 
not  sense  enough  to  understand  him. 

About  twelve  the  stage  was  ready.  After  we  had 
gotten  in  I was  distressed  to  see  Mason  follow  us.  He 
declared  he  would  go  one  stage  with  us.  I contrived, 
however,  to  persuade  him  to  deliver  two  letters  for  me 
at  the  post-office,  and  while  he  was  doing  it  the  stage 
drove  off. 

During  the  whole  time  that  this  unfortunate  man 
attached  himself  to  me  I did  not  discover  the  slightest 
trace  of  insanity,  and  was  astonished  to  hear  from  Mr. 
Hay,  just  as  I was  leaving  him,  that  not  only  he,  but 
his  father  and  other  members  of  his  family,  are  insane. 
He  spoke  more  like  a drunken  than  a mad  man  and 
acted  soberly  enough.  After  hearing  that  he  was  in- 
sane I could,  however,  plainly  perceive  that  he  is  con- 
scious of  the  light  in  which  he  is  considered.  He  is 
in  the  highest  degree  jealous  of  every  look  and  whisper 
among  those  with  whom  he  is  conversing;  he  often 

4i 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


repeated  the  words:  “They  say  that  both  my  father 
and  myself  are  mad,  but,  notwithstanding,  let  anyone 
try  to  gain  his  ends  with  us  on  that  supposition.” 

John  Mason  is  just  mad  enough — or,  which  amounts 
to  the  same  thing,  he  acts  and  speaks  just  enough  out 
of  the  common  road — to  be  extremely  troublesome 
without  being  injurious  to  society.  He  drinks  hard, 
and  it  seems  probable  that  in  time  he  may  bring  him- 
self into  a state  of  mind  in  which  the  law  concerning 
lunatics  may  reach  him.  At  present  there  is  so  much 
method  in  his  madness  that  he  must  be  permitted  to 
take  liberties  which  men  in  their  senses  dare  not  attempt. 
He  lives,  for  instance,  upon  the  tavern  keepers  without 
paying  them,  torments  their  company  without  their  dar- 
ing to  turn  him  out  or  to  caution  them  against  him. 
Both  he  and  his  father  are  accused  of  having  pleaded 
their  insanity  in  order  to  violate  contracts  and  to  make 
void  imprudent  and  injurious  engagements.  All  this 
renders  him  less  an  object  of  pity. 

HOSPITALITY  IN  VIRGINIA 

A Confused  Conversation 

“ Pray,  my  good  sir,”  asked  Dr.  Scandella,  “ do 
you  think  the  Virginians  hospitable ? I have  heard  so 
much  in  Europe  of  the  hospitality  of  the  Virginians, 
and  of  the  Americans  in  general,  that  I confess  I am 
most  egregiously  disappointed.  I have  met  with  none 

42 


VIRGINIA  AND  ITS  PEOPLE 


of  it.  Where  I have  been  particularly  introduced,  or 
have  had  urgent  letters  of  recommendation,  I have 
received  a few  invitations  to  dinner,  but  I do  not  call 
that  hospitality.” 

When  Dr.  Scandella — a Venetian  gentleman  of  the 
most  amiable,  fascinating  manners,  and  of  the  best  in- 
formation upon  almost  every  scientific  subject,  who 
speaks  English  perfectly,  and  who  has  now  traveled 
through  all  the  country  between  the  St.  Lawrence  and 
James  rivers — asks  such  a question,  it  naturally  induces 
a closer  examination  of  the  subject  than  I might  have 
otherwise  given  it,  having  never  yet  been  in  a situation 
in  which  I could  receive  the  hospitality  to  which  his 
question  particularly  applies. 

Upon  the  hospitality  of  the  rich  in  a very  infant 
and  almost  savage  state  of  society  the  best  treatise  is 
to  be  found  in  Dr.  Adam  Smith’s  “ Wealth  of  Na- 
tions.” A rich  shepherd  or  a rich  cultivator  of  land, 
having  no  market  for  his  cattle  or  for  his  corn,  wine, 
and  oil,  cannot  acquire  distinction  but  by  distributing 
these  perishable  commodities  among  those  who  will 
pay  him  with  praise,  who  will  increase  the  jollity  and 
mirth  of  his  existence,  who  will  support  him  in  war, 
and  by  their  number  add  to  the  splendor  of  his  retinue. 
This  is  the  hospitality  of  a Tartar  khan,  and  was  that 
of  a feudal  lord.  It  is  entirely  selfish. 

The  hospitality  of  an  Indian  is  much  more  amiable. 
It  often  arises  from  an  idea  of  moral  duty,  or  is  a re- 

43 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


ligiously  received  law,  and  has  not  personal  gratifica- 
tion for  its  immediate  object.  The  experience  of  the 
difficulty  of  procuring  food  and  shelter,  especially  by 
a stranger,  excites  besides  that  gregarious  sensation  of 

compassion  that  be- 
longs naturally  to  man 
as  an  animal,  and  on 
that  account  savages 
are  in  general  hospi- 
table in  proportion  as 
they  are  poor.  Where 
strangers  are  seldom 
seen  curiosity  is  often 
a powerful  motive  for 
hospitality.  An  insu- 
lated farmer  in  the 
back  country,  or  in  the 
thinly  populated  States, 
is  in  some  respects  in 
the  situation  of  the  feu- 

“AN  ATTEMPT  AT  THE  FEATURES  dal  lord.  It  COStS  him 
OF  PATRICK  HENRY.”  nothing  at  ^ 

table  to  supply  the  ap- 
petites of  one  or  two  additional  guests,  and  he  re- 
ceives amusement  and  entertainment  in  return.  His 
life  in  general  is  insipid  and  uniform,  the  visit  of  a 
stranger  furnishes  it  with  a little  variety.  But  as 
soon  as  the  market  comes  nearer  to  him,  or  increasing 

44 


VIRGINIA  AND  ITS  PEOPLE 


population  occasions  more  frequent  calls  upon  him, 
or  he  finds  the  society  of  towns  more  accessible,  ex- 
perience has  everywhere  proved  that  his  hospitality 
declines. 

In  answer,  therefore,  to  Dr.  Scandella’s  question, 
I think  I might  truly  say  that  Virginia  is  past  that  state 
of  society  in  which  the  latter  species  of  hospitality  was 
at  its  acme.  It  still,  however,  exists  at  a distance  from 
all  the  towns.  Strangers  are  still  welcome,  although 
they  are  now  no  longer  collected  “ from  the  highways 
and  hedges  and  pressed  to  come  in”  But  the  peculiar 
manners  of  the  country  must  also  be  considered  in  order 
to  appreciate  the  degree  of  hospitality  that  exists  in  it. 

In  spite  of  the  unpopularity  which  politics  will 
annex  to  the  assertion,  the  manners  of  Virginia  are 
English.  The  English  character,  with  some  excel- 
lences, has  many  faults.  It  is  the  most  cold-hearted 
and  cautious  of  any  nation  I know.  English  hospital- 
ity, therefore,  like  gas  under  a very  low  temperature, 
must  be  estimated  according  to  the  volume  it  would 
occupy  when  raised  to  the  temperature — by  Dr.  Scan- 
della,  for  instance — of  the  Italian  sky. 

“ This,”  says  the  doctor,  “ may  be  very  true;  at  all 
events  it  ingeniously  settles  the  account  for  the  Vir- 
ginian, but  it  does  nothing  for  me.  I still  go  without 
the  society  and  the  information  I wish  to  gain.  I 
stayed,  for  instance,  for  a week  and  more  at  Stanton. 
I dined  frequently  at  the  tavern  with  all  the  gentlemen 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


in  the  neighborhood.  My  inquiries  and  my  accent 
proved  me  a stranger,  my  dress  and,  I believe,  my 
manners — a gentleman.  What  was  the  consequence?  I 
overheard  daily  whispers — “ Pray,  who  is  that  French- 
man? He  seems  a genteel  sort  of  a man.  I wonder 
what  has  brought  him  hither?  ” Perhaps  I was  asked 
about  the  present  state  of  affairs  in  Europe,  and  no 
doubt  civilly  enough  treated.  But  no  soul  invited  me 
to  his  house,  begged  to  be  better  acquainted,  or  put 
himself  forward  to  oblige  me.  I have  mentioned  Stan- 
ton, but  the  case  was  exactly  similar  from  Niagara  to 
Richmond.” 

I much  fear  that  the  doctor’s  judgment  is  correct. 
And  it  is  certainly,  as  far  as  my  observation  goes,  a 
real  fact  that,  notwithstanding  modern  principles  and 
prejudices,  there  is  in  the  minds  of  us  Virginians  a 
practical  English  unsociability  to  the  French,  and  we 
are  apt  to  mistake  all  but  English,  Irish,  and  Scotch 
for  Frenchmen  as  soon  as  we  hear  them  open  their 
mouths.  An  Englishman,  I believe,  would  have  fared 
better,  and,  especially  if  recommended  to  one  family, 
would  have  shared  what  there  is  of  hospitality  in  the 
whole  country. 

“ Hospitality ! What  do  you  mean  by  hospital- 
ity? ” said  the  doctor.  “Beef,  mutton,  ducks,  geese, 
and  turkeys;  a bed  and  a dish  of  tea.  I came  not  hither 
to  feast  and  to  drink,  but  to  examine  the  country  and 
make  myself  acquainted  with  the  state  of  society  in  a 

46 


VIEW  OF  THE  TOWN  OF  NORFOLK  FROM  TOWN  POINT  IN  1796. 


VIRGINIA  AND  ITS  PEOPLE 


country  as  free  and  as  well  governed  as  this.  Now, 
by  eating  a man’s  beef  and  mutton  I do  not  at  all  put 
him  out  of  the  way,  but  it  has  appeared  to  me  that  by 
my  inquiries  I have  put  people  out  of  their  way  and 
made  them  uneasy.  None  but  Mr.  Jefferson  and  three 
gentlemen  at  Richmond  have  stepped  forward  to  meet 
and  assist  me  in  that  respect.  This,  however,  would 
have  been  the  hospitality  of  an  enlightened  and  free 
people.  But,  estimating  their  hospitality  as  you  meas- 
ure the  volume  of  your  gas,  I feel  as  much  obliged, 
though  much  worse  informed.” 

I cannot  help  agreeing  with  my  friend  the  doctor, 
but  I answer  him  thus:  The  Virginians  are  no  doubt 
on  a par  in  goodness  of  heart  and  soundness  of  sense 
with  every  other  nation  in  the  world.  The  state  of 
their  manners,  however,  being  one  of  the  objects  of 
our  inquiry,  the  want  of  this  hospitality  exhibits  one 
of  its  features. 

You  are  a man  of  letters  and  a theoretic  farmer. 
Neither  of  these  characters  are  common  among  us. 
You  therefore  miss  the  conversation  you  have  been 
accustomed  chiefly  to  find  among  those  with  whom  you 
have  elsewhere  associated.  With  the  detail  of  county 
and  State  politics  you  neither  are  nor  wish  to  be  ac- 
quainted. This  shuts  you  out  from  a very  large  field 
of  conversation  which  fills  up  the  intercourse  of  our 
citizens.  The  actual  state  of  agriculture  in  this  State 
is,  however,  open  to  you,  and  upon  that  subject  you 

47 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


have  no  doubt  heard  much  that  was  interesting.  But 
upon  the  whole  you  seem  not  to  be  satisfied,  and  I 
must  therefore  remind  you  that  you  are  in  a country 
in  which  you  could  not  have  expected  information, 
unless  you  had  eaten  your  way  to  the  hearts  of  its 
inhabitants. 

We  must  proceed  considerably  in  refinement  before 
the  era  arrives  when,  our  beef-and-mutton  hospitality 
being  quite  worn  out,  the  literary  hospitality  of  Europe 
succeeds  it,  and  till  a few  have  amassed  such  large 
stocks  of  fortune  and  taste  as  to  spend  the  former  to 
gratify  the  latter.  In  Richmond,  for  instance,  as  in 
the  other  towns  of  Virginia,  everyone  who  wishes  to 
treat  you  hospitably  invites  you  to  dinner  and  asks  half 
his  friends  to  meet  you.  This  is  expensive,  and,  as  in 
all  towns  most  men  live  up  to  their  incomes,  cannot 
often  be  repeated.  You  therefore  perhaps  hear  no 
more  of  this  friend  during  the  ebb  of  his  ability  till, 
the  flood  arriving,  you  are  again  asked  to  dine  with 
him.  In  Europe,  and  lately  even  in  England,  your 
first  invitation  would  be  perhaps  to  an  evening  party, 
the  entertainment  of  which  would  be  a trifle.  You 
would  be  pressed  to  repeat  the  visit  frequently,  and, 
feeling  that  you  did  not  incommode,  you  would  come. 
But  we  have  as  yet  no  such  parties,  and  you  must  be 
content  to  eat  beef  and  mutton  now  and  then  till  you 
by  degrees  become  an  amico  della  casa , and  feel  your- 
self at  ease  in  visiting  at  such  hours  as  shall  be  con- 

48 


VIRGINIA  AND  ITS  PEOPLE 

venient  and  agreeable  to  yourself.  And,  besides,  I can 
assure  you  that  you  are  entirely  mistaken  in  judging 
as  you  do  from  the  Anglican  reserve  and  gravity  of 
our  good  citizens  that  they  dislike  the  free  visits  of 
strangers.  I believe  it  is,  in  general,  far  otherwise. 


49 


CHAPTER  III 


A VISIT  TO  WASHINGTON  AT  MOUNT  VERNON 

ON  Sunday,  the  16th  of  July,  I set  off  on  horse- 
back for  Mount  Vernon,  having  a letter  to 
the  President  from  his  nephew,  my  particular 
friend,  Bushrod  Washington,  Esq.  I traveled  through 
a bold,  broken  country  to  Colchester.  Colchester  lies  on 
the  north  side  of  the  river  Occoquan,  over  which  there  is 
a ferry.  The  river  is  filled  briefly  by  the  backwater  of 
the  Potomac.  At  the  ferry  it  is  a hundred  and  five  yards 
wide,  but  extends  (nearly  the  same  width)  only  two 
miles  up  the  country,  where  it  dwindles  into  a rivulet. 
The  town  is  small  and  scattered.  The  river  is  shal- 
low and  the  convenience  for  trade  not  considerable.  I 
breakfasted  with  Mr.  Thomas  Mason.  From  Colches- 
ter to  Mount  Vernon  the  road  lies  through  extensive 
woods,  the  distance  being  about  ten  miles.  About  two 
and  one-half  miles  from  the  President’s  house  is  a mill 
belonging  to  him,  on  a canal  brought  from  the  river.  Its 
neatness  is  an  indication  of  the  attention  of  the  owner  to 
his  private  concerns.  The  farm  of  the  President  extends 
from  the  mill  to  his  house.  Good  fences,  clean  grounds, 

50 


A VISIT  TO  WASHINGTON 

and  extensive  cultivation  strike  the  eye  as  something 
uncommon  in  this  part  of  the  world,  but  the  road  is 
bad  enough.  The  house  becomes  visible  between  two 
groves  of  trees  at  about  a mile’s  distance.  It  has  no  very 
striking  appearance,  though  superior  to  every  other 
house  I have  seen  here.  The  approach  is  not  very  well 
managed,  but  leads  you  into  the  area  between  the  stables. 
The  house  is  a wooden  building,  painted  to  represent 
chamfered  rustic,  and  sanded.  The  center  is  an  old 
house  to  which  a good  dining  room  has  been  added  at 
the  north  end,  and  a study,  etc.,  at  the  south.  The 
house  is  connected  with  the  kitchen  offices  by  arcades. 
The  whole  of  this  part  of  the  building  is  in  a very  in- 
different taste.  Along  the  other  front  is  a portico,  sup- 
ported by  eight  square  pillars  of  good  proportions  and 
effect.  There  is  a handsome  statuary  marble  chimney- 
piece  in  the  dining  room  with  inverted  columns  on  each 
side.  This  is  the  only  piece  of  expensive  decoration  I 
have  seen  about  the  house,  and  it  is  indeed  remarkable 
in  that  respect.  Everything  else  is  extremely  good  and 
neat,  but  by  no  means  above  what  would  be  expected 
in  a plain  English  country  gentleman’s  house  of  £500 
or  £600  a year.  It  is,  however,  a little  above  what  I 
have  hitherto  seen  in  Virginia.  The  ground  on  the  west 
front  of  the  house  is  laid  out  in  a level  lawn,  bounded 
on  each  side  with  a wide  but  extremely  formal  serpen- 
tine walk  shaded  by  weeping  willows,  a tree  which  in 
this  country  grows  very  well  upon  high,  dry  land.  On 

5i 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 

one  side  of  this  lawn  is  a plain  kitchen  garden,  on  the 
other  a neat  flower  garden  laid  out  in  squares,  and 
boxed  with  great  precision.  Along  the  north  wall  of 
this  garden  is  a plain  greenhouse.  The  plants  were 
arranged  in  front  and  contained  nothing  very  rare,  nor 
were  they  numerous.  For  the  first  time  since  I left  Ger- 
many I saw  here  a parterre  stripped  and  trimmed  with 
infinite  care  into  the  form  of  a richly  flourished  fleur-de- 
lis,  the  expiring  groan,  I hope,  of  our  grandfathers’ 
pedantry. 

Toward  the  east  nature  has  lavished  magnificence, 
nor  had  art  interfered  but  to  exhibit  her  advantages. 
Before  the  portico  a lawn  extends  on  each  hand  from 
the  front  of  the  house  and  a grove  of  locust  trees  on 
each  side  to  the  edge  of  the  bank.  Down  the  steep 
slope  trees  and  shrubs  are  thickly  planted.  They  are 
kept  so  low  as  not  to  interrupt  the  view,  but  merely  to 
furnish  an  agreeable  border  to  the  extensive  prospect 
beyond.  The  mighty  Potomac  runs  close  under  this 
bank,  the  elevation  of  which  must  be  perhaps  two  hun- 
dred and  fifty  feet.  The  river  is  here  about  a mile  and 
a half  across,  and  runs  parallel  with  the  front  of  the 
house  for  about  three  miles  to  the  left  and  four  to  the 
right.  To  the  left  it  takes  a sudden  turn  round  a point 
and  disappears,  proceeding  to  Alexandria  and  the  fed- 
eral city;  but  the  sheet  of  water  is  continued  in  the 
Piskattaway,  which  appears  at  first  sight  to  be  the 
Potomac,  being  of  the  same  width.  The  Piskattaway 

52 


VIEW  OF  MOUNT  VERNON  LOOKING  TO  THE  SOUTHWEST. 


A VISIT  TO  WASHINGTON 


appears  in  sight  to  the  distance  of  eight  or  nine  miles 
and  then  vanishes  at  the  back  of  a bold  woody  head- 
land. This  river  continues  about  fifteen  miles  up  the 
country,  a bold  stream,  being  filled  by  the  backwater 
of  the  Potomac.  It  is,  however,  shallow,  and  at  present 
no  object  of  commercial  advantage.  An  extent  of  1,500 
acres,  perfectly  clear  of  wood,  which  borders  the  river 
on  the  left  bank  on  the  Virginia  side,  boldly  contracts 
the  remainder  of  the  woody  landscape.  It  is  a farm 
belonging  to  the  President.  Its  general  surface  is  level 
but  elevated  above  all  inundations.  Beyond  this  sheet 
of  verdure  the  country  rises  into  bold  woody  hills,  some- 
times enriched  by  open  plantations  which  mount  gently 
above  one  another  till  they  vanish  into  the  purple  dis- 
tance of  the  highest  ridge  twenty  miles  distant.  The 
Maryland  shore  has  the  same  character.  Opposite  to 
the  house,  where  its  detail  becomes  more  distinct,  it  is 
variegated  by  lawns  and  copses. 

After  running  about  four  miles  to  the  right,  the 
river  turns  suddenly  to  the  eastward,  but  is  seen  over 
a range  of  lowland  for  a considerable  distance.  A 
woody  peninsula,  running  to  a point,  backs  the  silver 
line  of  the  water,  and  the  blue  hills  of  Maryland  just 
appear  above  the  edge  of  the  trees  beyond  the  next 
bend. 

What  are  descriptions  of  the  face  of  nature  good 
for?  They  convey  just  as  much  an  idea  of  the  scene 
as  the  description  of  the  features  of  a lady  does  her  face. 

53 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


The  pen  and  the  dictionary  of  Mrs.  Radcliffe  has  done 
little  more  than  to  tire  her  reader  by  setting  him  to 
paint  imaginary  scenes  of  landscape  that  interrupt  the 
story.  Descriptions  of  buildings  are  more  successful, 
in  general,  and  I think  she  is  particularly  so  in  them, 
though  I once  endeavored  to  plan  the  Castle  of 
Udolpho  from  her  account  of  it  and  found  it  impossible. 

Having  alighted  at  Mount  Vernon,  I sent  in  my 
letter  of  introduction,  and  walked  into  the  portico  next 
to  the  river.  In  about  ten  minutes  the  President  came 
to  me.  He  was  attired  in  a plain  blue  coat,  his  hair 
dressed  and  powdered.  There  was  a reserve  but  no 
hauteur  in  his  manner.  He  shook  me  by  the  hand, 
said  he  was  glad  to  see  a friend  of  his  nephew’s,  drew  a 
chair,  and  desired  me  to  sit  down.  Having  inquired 
after  the  family  I had  left,  the  conversation  turned  upon 
Bath,  to  which  they  were  going.  He  said  he  had  known 
the  place  when  there  was  scarce  a house  upon  it  fit  to 
step  in,  that  the  accommodations  were,  he  believed,  very 
good  at  present.  He  thought  the  best  thing  a family, 
regularly  and  constantly  visiting  Bath,  could  do  would 
be  to  build  a house  for  their  separate  accommodation, 
the  expense  of  which  might  be  two  hundred  pounds. 
He  has  himself  a house  there  which  he  supposes  must 
be  going  to  ruin.  Independent  of  his  public  situation, 
the  increased  dissipation  and  frequency  of  visitors 
would  be  an  objection  to  his  visiting  it  again,  unless 
the  health  of  himself  or  family  should  render  it  neces- 

54 


JUul  rf- 

-icHSui  eU*c+-o-*^^ 


A VISIT  TO  WASHINGTON 


sary.  At  first  that  was  the  motive,  he  said,  that  in- 
duced people  to  encounter  the  badness  of  the  roads 
and  the  inconvenience  of  the  lodgings,  but  at  present 
few,  he  believed,  in  comparison  of  the  whole  number, 
had  health  in  view.  Even  those  whose  object  it  was, 
were  interrupted  in  their  quiet  by  the  dissipation  of 
the  rest.  This,  he  observed,  must  naturally  be  the  case 
in  every  large  collection  of  men  whose  minds  were  not 
occupied  by  pressing  business  or  personal  interest.  In 
these  and  many  more  observations  of  the  same  kind 
there  was  no  moroseness  nor  anything  that  appeared 
as  if  the  rapidly  increasing  immorality  of  the  citizens 
particularly  impressed  him  at  the  time  he  made  them. 
They  seemed  the  well-expressed  remarks  of  a man  who 
has  seen  and  knows  the  world. 

The  conversation  then  turned  upon  the  rivers  of 
Virginia.  He  gave  me  a very  minute  account  of  all 
their  directions,  their  natural  advantages,  and  what 
he  conceived  might  be  done  for  their  improvement 
by  art.  He  then  inquired  v/hether  I had  seen  the 
Dismal  Swamp,  and  seemed  particularly  desirous  of 
being  informed  upon  the  subject  of  the  canal  going 
forward  there.  He  gave  me  a detailed  account  of  the 
old  Dismal  Swamp  Company  and  of  their  operations, 
of  the  injury  they  had  received  by  the  effects  of  the 
war,  and  still  greater,  which  their  inattention  to  their 
own  concerns  had  done  them.  After  many  attempts 
on  his  part  to  procure  a meeting  of  directors,  the 
7 55 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


number  of  which  the  law  provided  should  be  six  in 
order  to  do  business,  all  of  which  proved  fruitless,  he 
gave  up  all  further  hopes  of  anything  effectual  being 
done  for  their  interests,  and  sold  out  his  shares  in  the 
proprietary  at  a price  very  inadequate  to  their  real 
value.  Since  then  his  attention  had  been  so  much 
drawn  to  public  affairs  that  he  had  scarcely  made  any 
inquiry  into  the  proceedings  either  of  the  Swamp  or 
of  the  Canal  Company.  I was  much  flattered  by  his 
attention  to  my  observations,  and  his  taking  the  pains 
either  to  object  to  my  deductions  where  he  thought 
them  ill-founded,  or  to  confirm  them  by  very  strong 
opinions  of  his  own,  made  while  he  was  in  the  habit 
of  visiting  the  Swamp. 

This  conversation  lasted  above  one  hour,  and,  as 
he  had  at  first  told  me  that  he  was  endeavoring  to 
finish  some  letters  to  go  by  the  post  upon  a variety 
of  business  “ which  notwithstanding  his  distance  from 
the  seat  of  Government  still  pressed  upon  him  in  his 
retirement,”  I got  up  to  take  my  leave;  but  he  desired 
me,  in  a manner  very  like  Dr.  Johnson’s,  to  “ keep  my 
chair,”  and  then  continued  to  talk  to  me  about  the 
great  works  going  forward  in  England,  and  my  own 
object  in  this  country.  I found  him  well  acquainted 
with  my  mother’s  family  in  Pennsylvania.  After  much 
conversation  upon  the  coal  mines  on  James  River,  I 
told  him  of  the  silver  mine  at  Rocketts.  He  laughed 
most  heartily  upon  the  very  mention  of  the  thing. 

56 


A VISIT  TO  WASHINGTON 


I explained  to  him  the  nature  of  the  expectations 
formed  of  its  productiveness,  and  satisfied  him  of  the 
probability  that  ore  did  exist  there  in  considerable 
quantity.  He  made  several  minute  inquiries  concern- 
ing it,  and  then  said  that  “ it  would  give  him  real 
uneasiness  should  any  silver  or  gold  mines  be  discov- 
ered that  would  tempt  considerable  capital  into  the 
prosecution  of  that  object,  and  that  he  heartily  wished 
for  his  country  that  it  might  contain  no  mines  but  such 
as  the  plow  could  reach,  excepting  only  coal  and  iron.” 
After  conversing  with  me  more  than  two  hours 
he  got  up  and  said  that  “ we  should  meet  again  at 
dinner.”  I then  prowled  about  the  lawn  and  took 
some  views.  Upon  my  return  to  the  house,  I found 
Mrs.  Washington  and  her  granddaughter,  Miss  Custis, 
in  the  hall.  I introduced  myself  to  Mrs.  Washington 
as  a friend  of  her  nephew,  and  she  immediately  en- 
tered into  conversation  upon  the  prospect  from  the 
lawn,  and  presently  gave  me  an  account  of  her  family 
in  a good-humored  free  manner  that  was  extremely 
pleasant  and  flattering.  She  retains  strong  remains 
of  considerable  beauty,  seems  to  enjoy  very  good 
health,  and  to  have  a good  humor.  She  has  no  affec- 
tation of  superiority  in  the  slightest  degree,  but  acts 
completely  in  the  character  of  the  mistress  of  the 
house  of  a respectable  and  opulent  country  gentleman. 
Her  granddaughter,  Miss  Eleanor  Custis,  the  only  one 
of  four  who  is  unmarried,  has  more  perfection  of  form, 

57 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


of  expression,  of  color,  of  softness,  and  of  firmness  of 
mind  than  I have  ever  seen  before  or  conceived  con- 
sistent with  mortality.  She  is  everything  that  the 
chisel  of  Phidias  aimed  at  but  could  not  reach,  and  the 
soul  beaming  through  her  countenance  and  glowing  in 
her  smile  is  as  superior  to  her  face  as  mind  is  to  matter. 

Young  La  Fayette  with  his  tutor  came  down  some 
time  before  dinner.  He  is  a young  man  about  seven- 
teen, of  a mild,  pleasant  countenance,  favorably  im- 
pressing one  at  first  sight.  His  figure  is  rather  awk- 
ward. His  manners  are  easy,  and  he  has  very  little 
of  the  usual  French  air  about  him.  He  talked  much, 
especially  with  Miss  Custis,  and  seemed  to  possess  wit 
and  fluency.  He  spoke  English  tolerably  well,  much 
better,  indeed,  than  his  tutor,  who  has  had  the  same 
time  and  opportunities  of  improvement. 

Dinner  was  served  about  half  after  three.  It  had 
been  postponed  about  a half-hour  in  hopes  of  Mr. 
Lear’s  arrival  from  Alexandria.  The  President  came 
into  the  portico  about  half  an  hour  before  three,  and 
talked  freely  upon  common  topics  with  the  family. 
At  dinner  he  placed  me  at  the  left  hand  of  Mrs.  Wash- 
ington; Miss  Custis  sat  at  her  right,  and  himself  next 
to  her  about  the  middle  of  the  table.  There  was  very 
little  conversation  at  dinner.  A few  jokes  passed  be- 
tween the  President  and  young  La  Fayette,  whom  he 
treats  more  as  his  child  than  as  a guest.  I felt  a little 
embarrassed  at  the  silent,  reserved  air  that  prevailed. 

58 


SKETCH  OF  A CLASSIC  GROUP  AT  MOUNT  VERNON. 


A VISIT  TO  WASHINGTON 


As  I drink  no  wine,  and  the  President  drank  only  three 
glasses,  the  party  soon  returned  to  the  portico.  Mr. 
Lear,  Mr.  Dandridge,  and  Mr.  Lear’s  three  boys  soon 
after  arrived  and  helped  out  the  conversation.  The 
President  retired  in  about  three-quarters  of  an  hour. 

As  much  as  I wished  to  stay,  I thought  it  a point 
of  delicacy  to  take  up  as  little  of  the  time  of  the  Presi- 
dent as  possible,  and  I therefore  requested  Mrs.  Wash- 
ington’s permission  to  order  my  horses.  She  expressed 
a slight  wish  that  I would  stay,  but  I did  not  think  it 
sufficiently  strong  in  etiquette  to  detain  me,  and  or- 
dered my  horses  to  the  door.  I waited  a few  minutes 
till  the  President  returned.  He  asked  me  whether  I had 
any  very  pressing  business  to  prevent  my  lengthening 
my  visit.  I told  him  I had  not,  but  that  as  I consid- 
ered it  an  intrusion  upon  his  more  important  engage- 
ments, I thought  I could  reach  Colchester  that  evening 
by  daylight.  “ Sir,”  said  he,  “ you  see  I take  my  own 
way.  If  you  can  be  content  to  take  yours  at  my 
house,  I shall  be  glad  to  see  you  here  longer.” 

Coffee  was  brought  about  six  o’clock.  When  it  was 
removed  the  President,  addressing  himself  to  me,  in- 
quired after  the  state  of  the  crops  about  Richmond. 
I told  him  all  I had  heard.  A long  conversation  upon 
farming  ensued,  during  which  it  grew  dark,  and  he 
then  proposed  going  into  the  hall.  He  made  me  sit 
down  by  him  and  continued  the  conversation  for  above 
an  hour.  During  that  time  he  gave  me  a very  minute 

59 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


account  of  the  Hessian  fly  and  its  progress  from  Long 
Island,  where  it  first  appeared,  through  New  York, 
Rhode  Island,  Connecticut,  Delaware,  part  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, and  Maryland.  It  has  not  yet  appeared  in 
Virginia,  but  is  daily  dreaded.  The  cultivation  of 
Indian  corn  next  came  up.  He  dwelt  upon  the  advan- 
tages attending  this  most  useful  crop,  and  then  said 
that  the  manner  in  which  the  land  was  exhausted  by 
it,  the  constant  attendance  it  required  during  the  whole 
year,  and  the  superior  value  of  the  produce  of  land  in 
other  crops  would  induce  him  to  leave  off  entirely  the 
cultivation  of  it,  provided  he  could  depend  upon  any 
market  for  a supply  elsewhere.  As  food  for  the 
negroes,  it  was  his  opinion  that  it  was  infinitely  pref- 
erable to  wheat  bread  in  point  of  nourishment.  He 
had  made  the  experiment  upon  his  own  land  and  had 
found  that  though  the  negroes,  while  the  novelty  lasted, 
seemed  to  prefer  wheat  bread  as  being  the  food  of  their 
masters,  soon  grew  tired  of  it.  He  conceived  that 
should  the  negroes  be  fed  upon  wheat  or  rye  bread, 
they  would,  in  order  to  be  fit  for  the  same  labor,  be 
obliged  to  have  a considerable  addition  to  their  allow- 
ance of  meat.  But  notwithstanding  all  this,  he  thought 
the  balance  of  advantage  to  be  against  the  Indian 
corn. 

He  then  entered  into  the  different  merits  of  a 
variety  of  plows  which  he  had  tried,  and  gave  the 
preference  to  the  heavy  Rotheram  plow  from  a full 

60 


A VISIT  TO  WASHINGTON 


experience  of  its  merits.  The  Berkshire  iron  plow  he 
held  next  in  estimation.  He  had  found  it  impossible 
to  get  the  iron  work  of  his  Rotheram  plow  replaced 
in  a proper  manner,  otherwise  he  should  never  have 
discontinued  its  use.  I promised  to  send  him  one  of 
Mr.  Richardson’s  plows  of  Tuckahoe,  which  he  ac- 
cepted with  pleasure. 

Mrs.  Washington  and  Miss  Custis  had  retired 
early,  and  the  President  left  the  company  about  eight 
o’clock.  We  soon  after  retired  to  bed.  There  was  no 
hint  of  supper. 

I rose  with  the  sun  and  walked  in  the  grounds  near 
the  house.  The  President  came  to  the  company  in  the 
sitting  room  about  one-half  hour  past  seven,  where  all 
the  latest  newspapers  were  laid  out.  He  talked  with 
Mr.  Lear  about  the  progress  of  the  work  at  the  great 
falls  and  in  the  City  of  Washington.  Breakfast  was 
served  up  in  the  usual  Virginia  style.  Tea,  coffee,  and 
cold  broiled  meat.  It  was  very  soon  over,  and  for  an 
hour  afterwards  he  stood  upon  the  steps  of  the  west 
door  talking  to  the  company  who  were  collected  round 
him.  The  subject  was  chiefly  the  establishment  of  the 
University  at  the  federal  city.  He  mentioned  the 
offer  he  had  made  of  giving  to  it  all  the  interests  he 
had  in  the  city  on  condition  that  it  should  go  on  in  a 
given  time,  and  complained  that,  though  magnificent 
offers  had  been  made  by  many  speculators  for  the  same 
purpose,  there  seemed  to  be  no  inclination  to  carry 

6l 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


them  into  reality.  He  spoke  as  if  he  felt  a little  hurt 
upon  the  subject.  About  ten  o’clock  he  made  a motion 
to  retire,  and  I requested  a servant  to  bring  my  horses 
to  the  door.  He  then  returned,  and  as  soon  as  my 
servant  came  up  with  the  horses,  he  went  to  him  and 
asked  him  if  he  had  breakfasted.  He  then  shook  me 
by  the  hand,  desired  me  to  call  if  I came  again  into  the 
neighborhood,  and  wished  me  a good  morning. 

Washington  has  something  uncommonly  majestic 
and  commanding  in  his  walk,  his  address,  his  figure, 
and  his  countenance.  His  face  is  characterized,  how- 
ever, more  by  intense  and  powerful  thought  than  by 
quick  and  fiery  conception.  There  is  a mildness  about 
its  expression,  and  an  air  of  reserve  in  his  manner 
lowers  its  tone  still  more.  He  is  sixty-four,  but  appears 
some  years  younger,  and  has  sufficient  apparent  vigor 
to  last  many  years  yet.  He  was  frequently  entirely 
silent  for  many  minutes,  during  wThich  time  an  awk- 
wardness seemed  to  prevail  in  everyone  present.  His 
answers  were  often  short  and  sometimes  approached 
to  moroseness.  He  did  not  at  any  time  speak  with 
very  remarkable  fluency;  perhaps  the  extreme  correct- 
ness of  his  language,  which  almost  seemed  studied, 
prevented  that  effect.  He  appeared  to  enjoy  a humor- 
ous observation,  and  made  several  himself.  He  laughed 
heartily  several  times  in  a very  good-humored  manner. 
On  the  morning  of  my  departure  he  treated  me  as  if 
I had  lived  for  years  in  his  house,  with  ease  and  atten- 

62 


ANOTHER  CLASSIC  GROUP  AT  MOUNT  VERNON 


A VISIT  TO  WASHINGTON 

tion,  but  in  general  I thought  there  was  a slight  air  of 
moroseness  about  him  as  if  something  had  vexed  him. 

For  Washington,  had  Horace  lived  at  the  present 
age,  he  would  have  written  his  celebrated  ode : it  is 
impossible  to  have  ever  read  it  and  not  to  recollect  in 
the  presence  of  this  great  man  the  virum  jus  turn 
propositique  tenacem , etc. 

I returned  by  the  same  route  that  had  brought  me 
to  Mount  Vernon.  Near  the  spot  at  which  the  roads 
to  Alexandria  and  Mount  Vernon  separate  lives  an  old 
man  of  the  age  of  eighty-five  by  his  own  account.  He 
was  born  in  Yorkshire  and  his  name  is  Boggis,  I think. 
He  is  tall,  rather  thin  and  rawboned,  but  perfectly 
hearty  and  strong.  What  is  remarkable  in  him  is  that 
he  has  for  many  years  past  lived  upon  nothing  but  tea. 
He  drinks  his  tea  three  times  a day,  consuming  in  it  a 
pound  of  sugar  daily  and  a great  quantity  of  the  rich- 
est cream.  A pound  of  tea  lasts  him  a week.  He  buys 
the  best  he  can  procure,  and  makes  it  pretty  strong. 

The  ferryman  at  Occoquan  ferry  is  one  of  the  un- 
common productions  called  albinos.  He  is  one  of 
several  who  are  children  of  a man  and  woman,  negroes, 
brought  from  Africa — called  here  salt-water  negroes. 
I could  not  get  an  exact  account  of  his  family  from 
him,  he  appeared  ashamed  of  the  trick  dame  Nature 
had  played  upon  him.  He  has  the  exact  features  of 
a perfect  black,  flat  nose  and  thick  lips,  and  is  very 
ugly.  His  skin,  both  of  his  face  and  body,  is  uncom- 

63 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


monly  fair  and  white.  His  cheeks  and  neck,  which  is 
extremely  thick,  are  very  red  and  pimpled  as  if  he  were 
a hard  drinker.  His  hair,  or  rather  wool,  is  yellow, 
his  eyebrows  are  white  with  a yellowish  cast,  and  his 
eyelashes,  which  are  very  long  and  almost  choke  his 
eyes,  are  almost  white.  His  eyes  are  reddish  gray. 
He  wore  his  hat,  and  they  twinkled  as  if  they  were 
weak,  but  upon  my  asking  him  the  question  he  told  me 
he  “ had  as  good  eyes  as  anybody  else.”  I suppose  he 
is  much  pestered  with  inquiries  and  ill-natured  jokes 
upon  his  color,  for  he  seemed  very  pettish  upon  the 
subject.  If  his  eyes  are  good,  he  is  an  exception  to 
Jefferson’s  general  remark  in  his  notes. 


6 4 


CHAPTER  IV 


THOUGHTS  ON  NATIONAL  SYSTEM  OF  EDUCATION 


Richmond,  May  28,  1798. 

Ferdinand  Fairfax,  Esq., 

of  Shannon  Hall,  Shenandoah. 

7~>\E/IR  SIR:  The  compliment  you  have  paid  to 
M S my  opinion  by  requesting  that  I would  furnish 
you  with  the  observations  that  occur  to  me 
on  the  perusal  of  the  regulations  and  by-laws  of  the 
Charlestown  Academy,  requires  that  I should  give  them 
to  you  freely.  I have  reason  to  know  your  candor,  and 
I believe  you  will  give  me  credit  for  sincerity.  If  I 
therefore  should  happen  to  differ  with  the  benevolent 
institutors  of  this  undertaking  I need  not  fear  that  I 
shall  offend  you  by  saying  so  plainly,  nor  yet  be  thought 
captious  in  my  criticisms  for  the  purpose  of  exhibiting 
my  judgment. 

Education  has  been  the  subject  of  innumerable 
treatises.  They  have  all,  even  those  which  are  founded 
in  the  boldest  and  most  original  trains  of  thinking,  re- 
ceived part  of  their  character  from  the  habits  acquired 
by  their  authors  from  the  mode  which  was  fashionable 
in  their  own  education.  There  is  a fashion  even  of 

65 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


sentiment,  and  wherever  there  is  fashion  there  is  big- 
otry. I wish  we  could  get  rid  of  fashions  in  thinking. 
I think  this  age  less  addicted  to  them  than  the  preced- 
ing have  been.  At  all  events,  more  fashions  are  suffered 
to  live  together  as  contemporaries  than  formerly,  and 
we  have  a greater  choice  of  them.  They  therefore 
improve  by  emulation.  The  old  ones,  which  were  sel- 
dom changed,  and  the  absurdity  of  which  was  not  so 
easily  discovered  for  want  of  contrast,  seldom  ceased 
to  be  worn  until  they  would  no  longer  hang  together. 

While  religion  and  law  were  the  only  paths  of 
learning  which  led  to  riches  and  honor,  and  while 
priests  occupied  both  professions,  it  was  exclusively  of 
other  circumstances  which  made  the  rest  of  barbarous 
Europe  dependent  upon  the  remnant  of  Roman  civil- 
ization in  Italy,  good  policy  in  the  priests  to  entrench 
themselves  in  the  Latin  and  Greek  languages.  How 
effectually  the  Latin  religion  and  the  Latin  law  of  the 
centuries  between  the  sixth  and  the  fifteenth  held  Eu- 
rope in  the  most  abject  subjection  to  ecclesiastical  and 
political  tyrants  everybody  knows.  A mathematician 
was  then  a heretic,  and  a natural  philosopher  a wizard. 

After  the  reformers  had  driven  the  priests  from 
many  of  their  strongholds,  and  Lord  Bacon  had  pointed 
out,  by  the  way  of  experiment,  the  true  road  to  science, 
or,  which  is  synonymous,  to  truth,  the  habits  of  man- 
kind, though  their  knowledge  was  increased,  still  con- 
tinued to  subsist.  Accustomed  to  see  pretended  knowl- 

66 


NATIONAL  SYSTEM  OF  EDUCATION 


edge  only  in  Greek  and  Latin  dress,  they  could  not  bear 
to  behold  truth  in  the  plain  garb  of  a vernacular  idiom, 
hut  tricked  out  the  simple,  chaste  maiden  in  the  foppery 
of  the  harlot. 

Learning,  in  fact,  within  the  remembrance  of  every- 
one who  is  above  thirty,  was  another  word  for  Greek 
and  Latin.  Oxford,  and  even  Cambridge,  are  yet 
immense  hospitals,  in  which  lingers,  decrepit  and  mor- 
tally wounded,  what  remains  of  Greek  and  Latin  ig- 
norance in  England,  and  within  these  forty  years,  in 
Germany,  to  write  upon  any  literary  subject  in  German 
was  to  proclaim  the  ignorance  of  the  author.  Out  of 
the  pale,  however,  of  the  old  seminaries,  whose  crazy 
and  diseased  constitutions  can  never  be  repaired,  and 
which  may  now  be  safely  suffered  to  die  a natural  death, 
the  men  of  letters,  both  in  Europe  and  America,  have 
shaken  off  the  shackles  of  the  dead  languages,  and 
quitting  their  study  with  the  slavery  of  the  schools, 
more  useful  knowledge  employs  their  attention  and 
their  time.  Now  no  man  of  genius  or  clear  under- 
standing devotes  himself  to  the  settling  of  doubtful 
readings  in  useless  works  or  to  the  acquisition  of  the 
command  of  a language  which  he  will  never  be  required 
to  speak  or  to  write. 

In  the  establishment  of  a new  seminary  in  a coun- 
try, the  social  and  political  duties  of  which  are  settled, 
it  were  much  to  be  wished  that  every  part  of  instruc- 
tion should  tend  to  render  the  citizen  useful  and  the 

67 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 

man  happy.  A republic  would  be  ill  served  if  its 
schools  were  only  contrived  to  create  a privileged  class 
of  men  furnished  with  languages,  to  the  acquirement 
of  which  in  perfection  a gregarious  education  of  long 
continuance  is  absolutely  necessary,  which  cannot  be 
applied  to  the  common  transactions  of  life,  and  which, 
therefore,  as  we  see  of  other  things  that  are  useless 
and  rare,  command  reverence  from  those  who  want  and 
feel  pride  in  those  who  profess  them. 

As  America  took  the  lead  in  the  practice  of  im- 
proved political  theory  in  the  organization  of  a com- 
munity, I sincerely  wish  that  she  may  set  the  example 
of  a rational  education  of  her  citizens. 

American  citizens  may  be  divided  into  only  three 
classes,  cultivators  of  the  soil,  artisans,  and  merchants. 
Of  the  practical  sciences,  the  first  have  most  occasion 
for  a knowledge  of  chemistry,  natural  history,  and 
national  philosophy;  the  second,  of  those  branches  of 
mathematics  called  usually  mechanics  (or  materia  ap- 
plicata)  ; and  the  third,  of  numeral  mathematics.  To 
each  a general  range  of  science  is  highly  useful,  but 
these  ought,  in  my  opinion,  to  be  the  leading  objects  of 
education  in  an  American  seminary.  They  may  be 
acquired  without  the  knowledge  of  Latin  or  Greek, 
although  an  acquaintance  with  these  beautiful  lan- 
guages will  greatly  ease  the  memory  in  retaining  the 
technical  vocabulary  and  assist  in  comprehending  the 
precise  meaning  of  terms,  most  of  which  are  taken 

68 


MOUNT  VERNON  LOOKING  TO  THE  NORTH,  JULY  17,  1796. 


NATIONAL  SYSTEM  OF  EDUCATION 


from  them.  Young  men,  and  of  these  there  will  always 
be  a great  number  in  a country  circumstanced  as  ours 
is — young  men  who  will  have  sufficient  property  to 
purchase  philosophic  leisure,  whose  business  it  is  “ to 
do  little,  but  to  observe  everything,”  will,  in  such  a 
course  of  study,  be  rendered  capable  of  employing  and 
amusing  themselves  usefully  throughout  their  lives, 
while  little  can  be  expected  from  a mere  knowledge  of 
Greek  and  Latin  toward  the  improvement  of  the  enjoy- 
ments of  American  society. 

I cannot,  therefore,  help  regretting  that  your  semi- 
nary has  so  far  followed  the  beaten  track  of  the  old 
schools  as  to  place  knowledge  of  Greek  and  Latin  at 
the  head  of  your  studies.  I am  by  no  means  ignorant 
of  all  the  advantages  attending  a critical  knowledge  of 
the  ancient  languages.  They  are  included  in  the  fol- 
lowing heads: 

1.  In  learning  a dead  language,  or  even  a living 
one,  which  must  be  acquired  not  in  loose  conversation, 
but  in  reading  and  analyzing  authors  who  are  perfectly 
correct  in  their  diction,  and  in  composing  by  dint  of 
inflexible  rules,  a general  knowledge  of  language  and 
of  grammar  becomes  so  imprinted  upon  the  mind,  at 
an  age  when  permanent  impressions  are  easily  received, 
that  it  may  never  be  effaced.  This  general  knowledge 
comes  into  use  whenever  a living  language  is  to  be 
learned  or  the  native  language  studied. 

2.  The  dry,  laborious  study  of  words,  uninterest- 

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THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


ing  in  themselves,  inures  the  mind  to  labor  and  to  the 
habits  of  attention. 

3.  So  many  useful  and  elegant  works  are  written 
in  these  languages  that  it  is  worth  while  to  expend  much 
time  in  obtaining  the  key  that  unlocks  these  treasures. 

4.  A knowledge  of  Latin,  and  especially  of  Greek, 
renders  it  easy  to  understand  the  technical  language  of 
every  science. 

5.  There  is  a time  when  it  is  difficult  to  employ 
boys  in  anything  else,  and  when  it  is  very  indifferent 
what  they  are  employed  in,  provided  they  be  kept  out 
of  mischief.  They  may,  therefore,  as  well  be  learning 
languages,  which  may  perhaps  become  useful,  and  never 
can  be  a burden. 

The  first  argument,  the  importance  of  acquiring  a 
perfect  knowledge  of  grammar,  has  perhaps  the  most 
weight,  and  is  the  principal  reason  why,  after  all  the 
useful  sciences,  I would  recommend  the  study  of  Greek 
and  Latin. 

Second.  If  the  minds  of  children  generally  were 
less  capable  of  understanding  mathematical  truths  or 
of  retaining  facts  in  natural  history  or  philosophy  than 
of  remembering  grammatical  rules,  for  which  no  rea- 
sons can  be  assigned,  and  which  do  not  interest  the 
mind  in  any  degree,  I would  agree  that  Greek  and 
Latin  should  be  forced  into  their  memories  at  all  haz- 
ards. But  I believe  the  contrary  to  be  the  case  gen- 
erally. I know  it  from  my  own  experience,  and  besides 

70 


NATIONAL  SYSTEM  OF  EDUCATION 


the  presumption  is  highly  reasonable.  I think  of  a boy 
ten  or  twelve  years  old  I could  much  sooner  make  a 
perfect  botanist  than  a good  Greek  scholar;  and  I am 
sure  the  botanist  would  be  happier,  healthier,  and  less 
agitated  by  false  notions  of  glory  and  honor  than  the 
expositor  of  Homer;  nor  do  I believe  his  mind  would 
have  acquired  less  activity  and  vigor. 

Third.  If  there  be  little  weight  in  the  other 
points,  then  this  argument  can  have  none,  for  all  the 
good  works  of  the  ancients  may  be  read  in  excellent 
translations. 

Fourth.  To  comprehend  and  remember  easily  the 
technical  terms  of  science,  it  is  very  true  that  a knowl- 
edge of  the  learned  languages  is  highly  useful,  but  a 
much  slighter  acquaintance  with  Greek  and  Latin  is 
necessary  than  that  proposed  by  the  usual  modes  of 
education,  and  which  is  attainable  in  a much  shorter 
space  of  time.  Indeed,  the  knowledge  of  a science  will 
lead  to,  and  render  pleasant,  the  study  of  its  language, 
the  latter  being  subordinate  to  the  former. 

Fifth.  I am  so  ashamed  of  the  fifth  reason  that 
were  it  not  very  commonly  urged  I should  not  have 
quoted  it.  It  is  answered  under  the  second  head. 

My  objection,  therefore,  goes  not  to  teaching  Greek 
and  Latin,  but  to  the  preference  given  to  the  Greek  and 
Latin  instruction.  I should  object  even  to  its  being 
upon  a level  with  moral  philosophy,  mathematics, 
physics,  or  modern  languages.  But,  by  the  constitu- 

8 7I 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 

tion  of  your  school,  it  not  only  has  the  preference,  but 
will  very  probably  absorb  the  attention  which  other 
studies  more  deservedly  claim.  “ The  principal  shall 
he  a professed  teacher  of  the  Greek  and  Latin  lan- 
guages,”  and  shall  he  only  “ competent  to  teach  mathe- 
matics ,”  etc.;  u he  shall  he  the  teacher  of  the  Latin 
school .”  What  a preponderance  in  favor  of  words, 
and  how  little  is  done  for  truths!  How  inevitably 
must  your  academy,  carried  along  by  the  current  and 
organized  into  the  habits  of  this  old  prejudice,  run  into 
a channel  by  no  means  intended  to  be  cut  out  for  it  by 
the  other  regulations  of  the  benevolent  founders. 

I observe  that  with  the  instruction  in  Greek  and 
Latin  the  elements  of  history,  rhetoric,  and  poetry  are 
to  be  connected.  This  is  some  atonement  for  the  atten- 
tion forced  into  the  channel  of  the  languages;  and  if 
the  authors  read  in  the  Greek  and  Latin  schools  be 
more  judiciously  chosen  than  has  been  usual  in  the  old 
schools,  it  is  impossible  not  to  combine  the  acquisition 
of  the  language  with  that  of  the  useful  knowledge  con- 
veyed in  it.  But  then  Terence,  Phaedrus,  Ovid,  and 
other  poets,  from  whom  no  one  ever  learned  a single 
useful  fact,  should  be  rejected,  and  in  their  room  it 
would  be  well  to  substitute  Justin’s  epitome  of  the  his- 
tory of  Trogus  Pompeius,  as  being  an  easy  and  enter- 
taining writer,  and  containing  a tolerably  good  sketch 
of  general  history;  Cornelius  Nepos,  Caesar’s  “ Com- 
mentaries,” and  for  the  more  advanced  scholars,  Livy, 

72 


NATIONAL  SYSTEM  OF  EDUCATION 


and,  above  all,  Tacitus,  the  most  elegant  and  virtuous 
of  historians.  I would  confine  the  study  of  poetry  to 
Virgil,  and  select  pieces  to  Horace.  In  eloquence, 
Cicero’s  book  “ De  oratore  ” stands  for  all  that  ever 
has  been  or  will  be  written,  and  ought  to  be  well 
digested  by  those  who  propose  to  plead  at  the  bar  or 
to  serve  their  country  or  their  party  in  the  senate.  I 
believe  the  first  Latin  book  which  is  studied  appears 
to  the  student  to  be  written  in  the  easiest  style,  at  least 
I have  always  thought  Livy  and  Cicero  to  be  the  easiest 
of  all  Latin  authors,  because  I first  learned  the  lan- 
guage by  reading  their  works.  Many  of  my  friends, 
however,  think  them  more  difficult  than  others  whom 
I cannot  read  with  equal  ease.  Should  the  observation 
be  true,  and  it  is  reasonable,  the  book  “ De  oratore  ” 
might  be  put  into  the  hands  of  very  young  students  as 
well  as  any  other,  and  might  upon  the  whole  be  the 
most  useful  to  those  who  propose  to  read  only  a few 
ancient  writers,  and  to  devote  most  of  their  attention 
to  science. 

In  Greek  the  works  of  Xenophon  are  among  the 
richest  treasures  of  the  language.  I wonder  his  “Anab- 
asis ” is  so  little  read  in  schools.  It  is  highly  enter- 
taining and  instructive,  and  as  a composition  nothing 
can  be  more  elegant.  The  “ Cyropaedia  ” is  not  less 
elegant  and  instructive,  but  boys  will  think  much  of 
it  very  dull.  Plutarch  has  both  the  advantages  of  fix- 
ing the  attention  to  his  story  and  teaching  the  purest 

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THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 

Greek  by  his  style.  Herodotus,  with  both  those  excel- 
lences— and  without  both  no  ancient  author  ought  to 
be  put  into  the  hands  of  a scholar — has  another  of 
considerable  importance.  The  subject  of  his  work,  the 
institutions  of  Egypt,  which  he  has  often  been  charged 
with  disguising  in  fables,  is  daily  more  and  more  found 
to  be  faithfully  copied  from  actually  existing  facts; 
and  he  conveys  much  important  knowledge  concerning 
the  cradle  of  all  the  past  and  present  religious  systems 
which  have  been  called  Christianity.  He  is  well  trans- 
lated by  Beloe.  Homer’s  “ Iliad,”  which  no  one  can 
more  admire  as  an  effort  of  genius  than  myself,  is,  I 
think,  the  most  improper  book  for  a school.  It  poisons 
the  minds  of  young  men,  fills  them  with  a rage  for 
military  murder  and  glory,  and  conveys  no  information 
which  can  ever  be  practically  useful.  Sooner  than  suffer 
my  pupil  to  learn  to  read  without  horror  many  beautiful 
passages  he  should  read  nothing  but  Theocritus  and 
Anacreon.  It  is  better  to  soften  the  mind  of  a boy 
of  fifteen  by  a picture  of  a tender  shepherdess  hanging 
upon  the  neck  of  her  lover  than  to  set  it  on  fire  by  a 
description  of  brains  dashed  out,  bellies  ripped  open, 
blood  streaming  around,  and  convulsed  heroes  gnawing 
the  earth  in  agony.  But  neither  Is  necessary. 

To  the  mathematical  school  there  can  be  no  objec- 
tion, provided  the  trustees  watch  over  it  and  prevent 
it  becoming  a mere  ciphering  school.  Half  the  rules 
of  the  common  books  of  arithmetic  are  useless  to  one 


74 


NATIONAL  SYSTEM  OF  EDUCATION 


who  understands  the  principles  of  algebra.  Arithmetic 
is  generally  a heavy  study  to  boys,  because  it  is  ren- 
dered entirely  a business  of  memory,  no  reasons  being 
assigned  for  the  rules.  A schoolbook  of  arithmetic 
accompanied  with  demonstrations  is  much  wanted.  We 
do  boys  from  seven  to  fifteen  years  old  great  injustice 
in  supposing  they  cannot  reason. 

Natural  philosophy  and  history  ought  to  have  a 
fair  proportion  of  time.  Moral  science  and  political 
economy  ought  to  have  a separate  school.  Adam 
Smith’s  book,  “ The  Wealth  of  Nations,”  ought  to  be 
the  groundwork  of  a very  principal  instruction.  We 
much  want  a schoolbook  upon  this  subject.  It  is  a 
subject  the  most  necessary  for  an  American  citizen. 

Two  more  schools  are  allotted  to  languages,  that 
is,  to  words.  The  time,  class,  or  school  allotted  to 
English  might  include  the  French  language,  but  under 
separate  teachers. 

I highly  approve  the  degree,  neither  more  nor  less, 
of  attention  paid  to  writing. 

I confess  I am  shocked  at  the  first  section  of  the 
fifth  chapter.  Let  us  first  examine  into  the  meaning 
of  the  word  punishment  as  generally  understood,  and 
as  intended  here.  Is  it  not  synonymous  with  revenge? 
As  an  American  republican  I may  ask  what  right  has 
any  human  being  to  prescribe  laws  to  the  actions  of 
any  other  unless  they  be  injurious  to  him?  What  right 
has  any  American  citizen  to  say  to  any  other,  “ You 

75 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 

shall  get  Quis,  quae,  quid  by  heart  by  a certain  time 
or  you  shall  be  punished”?  What  injury  does  the 
punisher  receive  from  the  neglect?  Can  he  even  plead 
the  savage  law  of  retaliation?  But  suppose  the  fault 
to  be  punished  to  be  of  the  active  kind.  Suppose  tricks 
be  played,  and  quibs  and  crackers  thrown  in  the  school. 
Then  punishment  can  only  be  just,  as  it  is  retaliation, 
as  it  is  revenge.  Punishment  upon  this  principle — and 
my  reasoning  applies  to  all  legislative  punishment — is, 
in  fact,  a repetition  of  the  offense,  and  most  frequently 
it  is  a repetition  with  aggravation.  If  the  punishment 
be,  as  we  falsely  say,  just,  or  exactly  adequate  to  the 
crime,  that  is,  if  the  pain,  or  evil,  or  inconvenience 
inflicted  upon  the  criminal  be  equal  to  that  occasioned 
by  him,  the  moral  nature  of  the  act  of  punishment 
would  stand  in  the  place  and  be  as  bad  as  that  of  the 
crime  if  the  crime  had  not  preceded  it.  And  will  any- 
one say  that  moral  actions  are  good  or  bad  according 
to  their  succession  in  the  order  of  time? 

This  reasoning  appears  to  me  to  be  mathematical, 
and  by  no  means  puts  an  end  to  social  order  and  dis- 
cipline. We  have  mistaken  the  moral  rights  of  com- 
munities because  we  have  mistaken  the  moral  rights 
of  man.  We  have  taken  it  for  granted  that  retaliation 
is  a law  of  nature  because  it  is  the  propensity  of  edu- 
cated man.  But  can  that  be  a law  of  nature  that  in 
its  mildest  form  doubles  the  injury  committed?  Nor 
is  it  certain  that  the  propensity  is  natural,  because  the 

76  * 


NATIONAL  SYSTEM  OF  EDUCATION 


desire  of  revenge  may,  by  education,  be  rendered  as 
perpetually  absent  from  the  mind  of  the  dervish  and  the 
true  Christian  as  it  is  perpetually  present  to  that  of  the 
Cherokee  and  the  Arab.  We  Christians  who  cherish 
laws  of  honor  are  in  the  situation  of  the  Cherokee. 

The  original  rights  of  man  are  bounded  by  his  in- 
dividual existence  and  his  individual  interests.  They 
are  self-preservation  and  self-defense.  I cannot  con- 
ceive a principle  upon  which  they  can  be  further  ex- 
tended. A society  is  an  interchange  and  a union  of 
these  individual  rights.  Every  individual  has  a right 
to  enter  into  compact  by  mutual  consent  for  mutual 
preservation  and  defense,  and  under  this  compact  to 
observe  certain  laws.  But  what  right  have  I to  force 
any  man  or  boy  into  my  society  and  to  make  him 
observe  its  laws?  If  an  individual  of  my  society  re- 
fuse to  conform  to  its  rules,  let  him  be  removed.  If, 
after  agreeing  to  abide  by  them,  he  is  guilty  of  their 
violation,  that  act  cancels  his  title  to  protection,  and 
he  ceases  to  be  a member  of  it.  The  preservation  and 
defense  of  the  society  require  his  removal,  and  the 
society  has  a right  to  remove  him.  A school  is  such 
a society,  as  far  as  the  rights  of  one  individual  over 
the  other  extend.  It  is  an  institution  for  the  good  of 
its  members,  and  my  argument  might  be  strengthened 
by  considering  the  matter  in  another  point  of  view,  and 
deciding  upon  the  morality  of  what  is  called  punish- 
ment by  its  utility. 


77 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 

As  far  as  punishment  is  the  effect  upon  the  pun- 
ished and  not  the  act  of  the  punisher,  so  far  is  exclusion 
from  the  society  the  severest  that  can  be  suffered.  It 
involves  the  society  in  no  immoral  act,  and  it  makes 
unhappiness  what  it  is  in  nature,  in  spite  of  human 
ingenuity  to  invert  her  order,  synonymous  with  mis- 
conduct. This  fact  applies  particularly  to  a school. 
Does  a boy  fear  the  ferula  half  as  much  as  a tempo- 
rary separation  from  his  schoolmates?  We  all  know 
the  contrary. 

If  this  be  mere  theory,  look  at  experience.  Crimes, 
she  teaches  us,  abound  in  every  State,  in  proportion  to 
the  multitude  and  severity  of  penal  laws.  This  proves 
that  if  they  be  immoral,  they  are  at  the  same  time 
ineffectual.  On  the  other  hand,  examine  that  great  and 
first  experiment  in  the  moral  science  of  mind — the  peni- 
tentiary house  at  Philadelphia.  I may  be  told  that  it 
is  an  insult  to  an  academy  to  compare  it  to  a prison. 
Is  it  not  a greater  to  make  it  a place  of  execution,  and 
to  erect  in  it  a whipping  post?  So  much  for  the  punish- 
ment. But  as  to  the  exception,  it  is  worse  than  the  rule. 
No  boy  of  sixteen  and  upward  is  to  receive  corporeal 
punishment.  Those  under  that  age — the  more  inno- 
cent, the  more  incapable  of.  resistance,  those  who  being 
more  ignorant  are  less  guilty — they  are  to  be  punished ! 

The  lenity  of  public  and  private  admonition  is  very 
laudable.  But  I do  not  like  the  title  of  the  “ Book 
of  Disgrace.”  It  will  tend  only  to  fix  a stigma  upon 

78 


BUCKHALTER’S  FERRY,  ON  THE  SUSQUEHANNA. 


NATIONAL’ SYSTEM  OF  EDUCATION 

a boy,  which  he  may  not  practically  wipe  off  again  by 
ever  so  good  behavior.  It  betrays  anger  against  those 
recorded  in  it  and  excites  it  in  them.  If  such  a book 
must  be  kept,  why  not  call  it  what  it  is,  the  “ Record  of 
Misconduct.” 

It  occurs  to  me  that  in  this  country,  however,  such 
a record  were  improper,  unless  every  boy  on  leaving 
the  school  could  be  satisfied  that  the  record  of  his  mis- 
conduct were  destroyed.  How  most  injuriously  might 
not  the  youthful  follies  of  a meritorious  citizen  be 
brought  forward  against  him  from  such  a record — 
from  political  or  any  other  hostile  motives ! The  inten- 
tion of  the  book  is  obvious  and  good;  but  it  appears  to 
me  to  be  very  open  to  abuse  in  its  application. 

No  master  ought  to  be  permitted  to  punish  at  his 
discretion,  under  the  idea  of  punishment  evidently  es- 
tablished by  these  rules.  He  will  punish  promptly  if 
he  has  the  power.  If  punishment  be  admitted,  it 
should  be  delayed  and  considered.  The  very  act  of 
punishment,  though  begun  in  the  most  philosophic  tem- 
per and  coldest  blood,  excites  anger  by  the  habitual 
association  of  angry  feelings  with  inflicted  blows,  and 
the  last  strokes  are  always  the  severest.  If  begun  while 
the  irritation  of  the  offense  is  fresh,  the  floggings  will 
be,  what,  to  the  disgrace  of  humanity  and  of  reason,  it 
is  in  all  the  schools  which  I have  ever  known,  the  most 
flagitious  act  committed  within  their  walls.  I cannot 
bear  the  idea,  besides,  of  tormenting  the  poor  little 

79 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


boys  and  letting  the  strong  fellows  escape.  The  per- 
sonal feeling  of  the  master,  operating  by  rules  of 
capricious  dislike  or  favoritism,  will  dictate  the  inflic- 
tion and  the  measure  of  the  punishment. 

As  I have  already  given  you  my  sentiments  so 
freely  upon  the  by-laws  as  they  are  before  me,  I will 
add  a few  words  more : 

Nothing  can  be  of  greater  importance  than  to 
render  the  study  of  language  and  science  amusing  to 
the  scholars.  The  former  is  always  disagreeable  to  the 
boys,  especially  at  first.  On  this  account  the  most 
entertaining  authors  ought  to  be  put  into  their  hands. 
I have,  therefore,  recommended  such  as  I thought 
agreeable  when  I was  very  young.  Much  will,  how- 
ever, also  depend  upon  the  method  of  the  master. 

For  the  preservation  of  the  morals  of  the  boys  they 
should  be  under  constant  inspection.  But  this  inspec- 
tion should  not  be  constant  government.  Therefore 
the  hours  unoccupied  by  school  ought  to  be  devoted  to 
established  games  of  ingenuity  and  activity  under  the 
eye  of  the  master,  or  usher,  whose  sole  interference 
should  be  to  prevent  dispute  and  decide  doubtful  cases 
of  skill,  unless  he  chose  to  play  with  them,  which  could 
not,  I think,  degrade  the  greatest  philosopher  under 
heaven.  The  rewards  should  be  impressive  trifles. 
Cricket,  running,  swinging,  seesaw,  and  tops  may 
be  thus  made  moral  amusements.  If  the  boys  be 
moderately  fatigued  by  exercise  in  the  day,  they  will 

80 


NATIONAL  SYSTEM  OF  EDUCATION 


be  glad  to  go  to  bed  and  rest  at  night,  when  otherwise 
they  would  be  planning  adventures  of  fifty  sorts.  I 
know  by  my  own  experience  much  of  the  ingenuity  of 
boys  to  contrive  nocturnal  rambles  and  meetings,  and 
I believe  they  are  everywhere  alike,  and  differ  only 
according  to  their  management. 

But  the  most  amusing  and  useful  recreations  to 
boys,  and  indeed  a most  important  one  to  the  com- 
munity, would  be  their  being  trained  to  arms  and 
military  evolutions.  While  arms  wound,  and  men, 
believing  their  separate  interests  to  be  different  from 
those  of  the  human  race,  have  recourse  to  arms  to  de- 
cide their  quarrels,  every  citizen  ought  to  learn  how 
to  defend  himself  against,  and  repel,  a hired  soldier. 
If  this  be  learned  by  the  boy,  it  will  never  be  forgotten 
by  the  man.  Let  their  officers  be  chosen  by  themselves 
for  a limited  term,  so  as  to  give  each  the  chance  of  a 
turn.  Let  the  principal,  or  the  trustees,  commission 
them.  Their  mothers  will  find  them  uniforms.  If  in 
every  neighborhood  throughout  the  State  the  boys  from 
seven  to  fifteen  were  regimented,  and  called  out  to 
parade  frequently,  no  useful  labor  would  be  lost,  no 
public  expense  incurred,  a well-trained  and  disciplined 
militia  would  be  formed,  always  ready  to  act  though 
unexercised  for  many  years.  Habits  acquired  at  so 
early  a period  of  life  are  never  lost,  as  no  one  forgets 
how  to  dance,  to  swim,  to  ride,  or  to  skate.  This  is 
enough  for  a hint. 


81 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


I am  sure  no  apology  is  necessary  to  you  for  the 
freedom  of  these  remarks.  Had  I kept  back  my  senti- 
ments then  I ought  to  have  apologized.  Your  academy 
has  an  early  stand  upon  the  list  of  Virginian  attempts 
at  rational  education,  and  if  I may  judge  from  the 
hearts  and  heads  of  its  promoters,  it  will  be  as  suc- 
cessful as  it  is  early  in  its  exertions  in  the  cause  of 
mankind.  Esto  perpetual 


82 


CHAPTER  V 


PHILADELPHIA 


Richmond,  April  19,  1798. 

JJ^AR  fetched  and  dear  bought as  the  proverb 
JL  says,  are  epithets  that  human  pride  has  made 
almost  synonymous  with  excellent , valuable , 
and  useful.  Talk  to  an  Englishman  of  white  marble 
columns  of  the  United  States  Bank,  thirty  feet  high,  and 
he  is  astonished  at  the  magnificence  of  the  said  columns. 
In  London  indeed  such  columns  would  not  only  be  mag- 
nificent, but  really  valuable.  They  would  contain  the 
value  of  all  labor  necessary  to  bring  them  thither  from 
some  place  where  they  were  equally  magnificent,  but 
less  valuable,  by  the  whole  amount  of  that  labor.  As 
nine-tenths  of  our  American,  even  our  Virginian  ideas 
and  prejudices,  are  English,  a very  large  proportion  of 
the  admiration  which  we  have  bestowed  upon  the  said 
white  marble  columns  has  been  bestowed  upon  the 
material,  the  white  marble.  Now  it  happens  to  be  a 
fact  that  any  other  material  besides  white  marble 
was  not  to  be  easily  procured  at  Philadelphia.  And 
so  common  is  its  use  that  the  steps  to  the  meanest  house 
and  cheeks  to  cellar  doors  are  frequently  made  of  it. 

83 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


Gray  marble,  something  like  that  of  Carrara,  is  equally 
common.  I do  not  know  where  the  quarries  are 
situated. 

The  white  marble  columns  of  the  bank  are  full  of 
bluish  and  yellowish  veins,  but  they  have,  notwithstand- 
ing, a very  beautiful  appearance.  Sufficient  attention 
has  not  been  paid  to  the  successive  heights  of  the 
blocks,  nor  are  the  joints  level.  The  plain  workman- 
ship is  well  executed.  The  sculpture  is  not  good. 

April  20,  1798. 

While  I was  at  Philadelphia,  William  Cobbett, 
alias  Peter  Porcupine,  did  me  the  honor  of  the  follow- 
ing notice.  The  paragraph  furnished  me  with  a hearty 
laugh,  and  I am  not  a little  pleased  with  the  post- 
humous honor  done  to  my  father’s  memory,  who  has 
been  dead  about  eleven  years.  Miss  Willems  is  Mrs. 
Green,  for  whose  benefit  the  apology  was  acted.  She 
was  a very  good  dancer,  and  sings  very  well,  though 
in  the  style  of  the  English  stage,  which  does  not  please 
here.  She  is  a very  respectable  woman,  and  a mother. 
I am  sorry  to  have  been  the  occasion  of  the  abuse  thrown 
upon  her,  although  the  abuse  of  Porcupine  is,  in  gen- 
eral, a certain  proof  of  merit. 

“ A FARCE  AND  A FIRE 

“ At  Sans-culotte  Richmond,  the  metropolis  of 
Negro-land,  alias  the  Ancient  Dominion,  alias  Virginia, 

84 


PHILADELPHIA 


there  was,  some  time  ago,  a farce  acted  for  the  benefit 
of  a girl  by  the  name  of  Willems,  whose  awkward  gait 
and  gawky  voice  formerly  contributed  to  the  ridicule 
of  the  people  of  Philadelphia. 

“ The  farce  was  called  the  Apology ; it  was  intended 
to  satirize  me  and  Mr.  Alexander  Hamilton  (I  am 
always  put  in  good  company),  and  some  other  friends 
of  the  federal  Government.  The  thing  is  said  to  be 
the  most  detestably  dull  that  ever  was  mouthed  by 
strollers.  The  author  is  one  La  Trobe,  the  son  of  an 
old  seditious  dissenter;  and  I am  informed  that  he  is 
now  employed  in  the  erecting  of  a Penitentiary  House , 
of  which  he  is  very  likely  to  be  the  first  tenant. 

“ In  short,  the  farce  was  acted,  and  the  very  next 
night  the  playhouse  was  burnt  down!  I have  not  heard 
whether  it  was  by  lightning  or  not.” 

The  intelligence  was  conveyed,  as  I understood  at 
Philadelphia,  to  Peter  Porcupine  by  a letter  from  Rich- 
mond, written  in  order  to  counteract  the  effect  of  some 
letters  of  recommendation  which  I carried  with  me 
with  a view  to  the  design  of  an  arsenal  at  Harper’s 
Ferry. 

My  stay  at  Philadelphia  was  too  short  to  enable  me 
to  say  anything  concerning  the  state  of  society  there. 
As  far  as  I did  observe,  I could  see  no  difference  be- 
tween Philadelphian  and  English  manners.  The  same 
style  of  living,  the  same  opinions  as  to  fashions,  tastes, 

85 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


comforts,  and  accomplishments.  Nor  can  it  be  well 
otherwise.  The  perpetual  influx  of  Englishmen,  the 
constant  intercourse  of  the  merchants — here  the  lead- 
ers of  manners  and  fashion — with  England,  must 
produce  this  effect.  In  Virginia,  where  this  influx  and 
intercourse  is  not  so  great,  there  appears  a shade  of 
character  somewhat  different. 

Political  fanaticism  was,  during  my  residence  in 
Philadelphia,  at  its  acme.  The  communications  from 
our  envoys  in  Paris,  the  stories  about  X Y Z and  the 
lady,  etc.,  were  fresh  upon  the  carpet.  British  influence 
may  be  denied  by  one  party,  and  French  influence 
asserted.  But  a very  short  residence  in  Philadelphia 
will  leave  no  doubt  upon  that  subject.  To  be  civilly 
received  by  the  fashionable  people,  and  to  be  invited  to 
the  President’s,  it  is  necessary  to  visit  the  British  am- 
bassador. To  be  on  terms  with  Chevelier  D’Yrujo,  or 
General  Kosciusko  even,  is  to  be  a marked  democrat, 
unfit  for  the  company  of  the  lovers  of  order  and  good 
government.  This  I saw.  Many  of  my  Virginian 
friends  say  I must  be  mistaken. 

I boarded  at  Francis’s  hotel.  It  is  a much  cheaper 
house  than  any  I have  been  at  in  the  Virginian  towns. 
For  breakfast,  dinner,  tea,  and  supper,  exclusive  of 
liquors  and  fire,  you  pay  $8  a week.  At  the  Virginian 
house  7/6  per  day  or  $8.75,  exclusive  of  liquors,  tea, 
supper,  and  fire. 

I left  Philadelphia  on  Wednesday  morning,  April 

86 


THE  SCHUYLKILL  RIVER  BELOW  THE  FALLS. 


PHILADELPHIA 

nth,  in  the  mail  stage.  The  weather  was  very  bad 
again,  the  roads,  however,  were  better  than  when  I came 
up.  Between  Philadelphia  and  Chester  we  lamed  a 
horse,  which  accident  delayed  us  near  two  hours. 
Dined  at  Wilmington.  Got  very  late  to  the  head  of 
Elk,  and  through  the  most  horrid  of  roads  from  thence 
to  the  Susquehannah  at  half-past  twelve.  It  was  very 
calm,  but  a strong  fresh  in  the  river  rendered  crossing 
tedious.  At  Barney’s,  where  we  arrived  at  half-past 
one,  there  was  neither  fire  nor  supper  provided.  After 
much  grumbling  we  procured  both,  and  got  to  bed 
about  half-past  two.  At  four  we  were  again  in  the 
stage,  breakfasted  at  Hartford,  and  arrived  in  Balti- 
more at  eleven  o’clock.  The  weather  cleared  up,  but 
the  roads  were  as  bad  as  ever.  Breakfasted  the  morn- 
ing of  the  13th  at  Spurriers,  dined  at  Bladensburg. 
Bladensburg  is  a little  village  on  the  eastern  branch  of 
the  Potomac,  and  has  a very  picturesque  situation  in 
a deep  valley,  surrounded  by  woody  eminences.  We 
stopped  a few  minutes  in  the  federal  city,  during 
which  time  I rambled  over  the  Capitol.  We  got  to 
Georgetown  and  crossed  the  Potomac  an  hour  before 
sunset.  Scarce,  however,  had  we  proceeded  half  a 
mile  before  we  broke  our  splinter  bar.  Mr.  Rogers 
and  I therefore  resolved  to  walk  on.  It  was  soon  dark 
and  began  to  rain,  and  we  trudged  up  to  our  knees  in 
mud  a great  part  of  the  way  to  Alexandria.  The  stage 
overtook  us  just  as  we  entered  the  town,  about  ten 
9 87 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 

o’clock.  At  three  we  again  resumed  our  journey. 
We  had  a very  pleasant  day  and  a very  pleasant  party, 
so  that  I forgot  my  excessive  fatigue  and  a dreadful 
cold.  The  trees  on  this  side  of  the  Potomac  seemed  at 
least  a fortnight  more  forward  in  vegetation  than  they 
were  in  Pennsylvania.  We  breakfasted  at  Colchester, 
dined  at  Stratford  Court-house,  and  arrived  at  Fred- 
ericsburg  about  six  o’clock.  I took  up  my  quarters  at 
Mr.  John  Minor’s,  where  I stayed  also  Sunday,  the 
15th.  Spent  the  evening  with  Mr.  Slackley.  Set  off 
again  Monday  morning  at  three,  and  arrived  in  Rich- 
mond at  half-past  five.  The  only  tolerable  roads  on 
the  whole  journey  are  between  Fredericsburg  and 
Richmond. 

The  expense  of  going  to  Philadelphia  from  Rich- 
mond in  the  stage  is  as  follows : 


Stage  to  Fredericsburg..  $3.50 

Stage  to  Georgetown.  . . 3.50 

Stage  to  Baltimore 4-75 

Mail  to  Philadelphia.  . . 8.00 

Heavy  stage  to  do.  $5.00 

$16.75  $'9-75 


Breakfast  2/6,  — 3/— . . $0.50 

Dinner,  6/— 1 .00 

Bed  and  supper,  4/6—.  .75 

2.25 

Five  days $11. 25 

Stage $19-75 

Expenses 11.25 

$3i-oo 


N.  B. — The  heavy  stage  arrives  later  in  Phila- 
delphia and  occasions  more  expense  on  the  road,  but 
returning  the  $3  are  a clear  saving,  if  you  can  proceed 
immediately  from  Baltimore. 

88 


PHILADELPHIA 


Richmond,  April  26,  1798. 

Among  the  buildings  of  Philadelphia  I did  not 
mention  the  house  of  Robert  Morris,  because  I knew 
not  what  to  say  about  it  in  order  to  record  the  appear- 
ance of  the  monster  in  a few  words.  Indeed  I can 
scarcely  at  this  moment  believe  in  the  existence  of  what 
I have  seen  many  times,  of  its  complicated,  unintelli- 
gible mass.  Though  I was  in  the  pile,  I protest  against 
any  inquiries  from  me  as  to  the  plan,  for  I cannot 
possibly  answer  them. 

Mr.  L’Enfant,  the  architect,  never  exhibited  his 
drawings  to  any  but  Mr.  Morris  and  his  wife,  so  that 
I could  not  obtain  any  information  of  the  intention  of 
the  different  parts  of  the  building  from  my  friends  who 
have  been  very  often  in  it,  and  were  well  acquainted 
with  Mr.  Morris  and  also  with  L’Enfant. 

The  external  dimensions  of  the  house  are  very  large. 
I suppose  the  front  must  be  at  least  one  hundred  and 
twrenty  feet  long,  and  I think  the  flank  cannot  be  less 
than  sixty.  Every  side  of  the  house  is  as  yet  in  the 
most  unfinished  state  possible,  although  much  of  the 
marble  dressing  is  entirely  complete  in  patches  and 
the  whole  building  is  covered  in.  The  south  front  is 
not  yet  raised  from  the  ground  in  the  center  part,  but 
part  of  each  side  is  quite  finished.  The  roof,  in  the 
meantime,  is  carried  by  shares.  At  each  angle  is  a sort 
of  a bow,  or  tower,  or  what  you  please,  for  it  would 
be  difficult  to  define  the  sort  of  thing  by  any  one  term. 

89 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 

It  consists  of  two  square  and  three  curvilinear  faces, 
the  square  faces  projecting  about  nine  inches  before  the 
other.  In  each  face  is  a window  in  each  of  the  two 
stories.  The  windows,  at  least  some  of  them,  and  the 
others  appear  unfinished,  are  cased  in  white  marble 


A STUDY  IN  HEADS. 


with  moldings,  entablatures,  architraves,  and  sculpture 
mixed  up  in  the  oddest  and  most  inelegant  manner 
imaginable;  all  the  proportions  are  bad,  all  the  hori- 
zontal and  perpendicular  lines  broken  to  pieces,  the 
whole  mass  giving  the  idea  of  the  reign  of  Louis  XIII 
in  France  or  James  I in  England.  I cannot  anyhow 
conceive  by  what  accident  the  windows  were  finished 

90 


PHILADELPHIA 


in  the  order  they  are.  For  some  in  the  east,  others  in 
the  west,  a few  in  the  north,  and  one  or  two  in  the 
south,  have  their  dressings  complete,  while  their  neigh- 
bors still  exhibit  the  rough  brick  wall.  There  is  a re- 
cess, across  which  a colonnade  of  one-story  columns  was 
intended,  the  two  lateral  ones  being  put  up,  with  a 
piece  of  their  architrave  reaching  to  the  wall;  I cannot 
guess  what  was  intended  above  them.  There  is  a wide 
opening  with  an  elliptical  rough  arch  in  the  brick  wall. 
Conjecture  is  entirely  baffled  here,  nor  could  I obtain 
the  smallest  information  what  could  be  intended.  In 
the  south  front  are  two  angle  porches.  The  angle 
porches  are  irresistibly  laughable  things,  and  violently 
ugly.  The  bow  is  open  to  the  roof,  the  bases  only  of 
the  columns  being  laid  in  niches,  as  in  the  front  of  St. 
Peter’s  at  Rome,  from  which  I hope  they  were  copied, 
as  such  a madness  in  modern  architecture  stands  in  great 
need  of  a powerful  apology.  The  pilasters  are  carried 
up,  however,  to  their  neckings,  and  being  diminished, 
they  look  horrible — indeed  everybody  who  sees  them 
supposes  they  have  given  way  and  are  ready  to  fall 
down.  There  is  a profusion  of  wretched  sculpture 
about  these  fragments  of  porticoes  and  scraps  of  colon- 
nades. The  sockets  of  all  the  architraves  are  enriched 
with  panels  and  foliage.  The  capitals  of  the  columns 
are  of  the  worst  taste.  They  are  a sort  of  composite, 
and  resemble  those  of  the  at  Rome,  the  pro- 

duction of  the  worst  times  of  the  art.  The  roof  is 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


an  immense  mansard,  and  on  the  top  of  it  are  three 
or  four  prominent  skylights. 

The  whole  mass  altogether  gives  no  idea  at  first 
sight  to  the  mind  sufficiently  distinct  to  leave  an 
impression.  I went  several  times  to  the  spot  and 
gazed  upon  it  with  astonishment  before  I could 
form  any  conception  of  its  composition.  It  singularly 
made  me  wish  to  take  a drawing  of  it,  but  the 
very  bad  weather  prevented  me.  It  is  impossible  to 
decide  which  of  the  two  is  the  madder,  the  architect 
or  his  employer.  Both  of  them  have  been  ruined  by  it. 

It  is  now  sold  to  Mr.  Sansom  of  the  Pennsylvania 
Bank,  who  means  to  convert  it,  as  I am  told,  into  five 
houses. 

This  is  the  house  of  which  I had  frequently  been 
told  in  Virginia  that  it  was  the  handsomest  thing  in 
America. 


April  27,  1798. 

The  Capitol  in  the  federal  city,  though,  as  I men- 
tioned in  my  journal  at  Philadelphia,  it  is  faulty  in  ex- 
ternal detail,  is  one  of  the  first  designs  of  modern 
times.  As  I shall  receive  a plan  of  it  from  either  Dr. 
Thornton  or  Mr.  Volney,  I mean  to  devote  a particular 
discussion  to  it  at  my  leisure. 

April  29,  1798. 

On  inspecting  the  plan  of  the  city  of  Philadelphia, 
and  observing  the  numerous  wide  and  straight  streets, 

92 


PHILADELPHIA 


it  will  not  be  easily  believed  that  want  of  ventilation 
can  be  entirely  the  cause  of  the  yellow  fever  which  has 
made  such  dreadful  and  frequent  devastations  among 
the  inhabitants.  It  is  true  that  there  are  narrow  and 


often  very  filthy  alleys  which  intersect  the  interior  of 
the  squares  bounded  by  the  principal  streets  and  in 
which  the  air  may  stagnate.  The  back  yards  of  most 
of  the  houses  are  also  depositories  of  filth  to  a degree 
which  is  surprising,  if  the  general  cleanly  character  of 

93 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


the  Pennsylvanians  be  considered.  There  must  be  some 
cause  more  powerful  and  more  specific.  This  cause 
may,  I believe,  be  found  in  the  following  circumstance : 
The  soil  between  the  Delaware  and  Schuylkill  is 
generally  flat,  and  though  not  entirely  so,  yet  it  has 
strongly  the  appearance  of  being  factitious,  that  is, 
deposited  by  the  two  rivers;  or  perhaps  it  was  the  shal- 
lowest part  of  the  bed  of  the  Delaware  and  Schuylkill 
united,  at  the  period  when  the  waters  of  all  these  North 
American  rivers  were  elevated  between  one  hundred 
and  two  hundred  feet  above  their  present  levels.  At 
that  time,  then,  the  present  Delaware  and  Schuylkill 
were  perhaps  two  channels  only  in  this  immense  river. 
The  soil  consists  of  a bed  of  clay  of  different  depth, 
from  ten  to  thirty  feet.  It  is  excellent  brick  earth,  being 
very  smooth  and  free  beneath  the  surface  from  stone 
or  gravel.  Below  this  bed  of  clay  is  universally  a 
stratum  of  sand.  In  this  sand  runs  a stratum  of  water, 
and  as  it  is  impossible  to  dig  into  it  without  finding 
clear  and  excellent  water  in  an  inexhaustible  quantity, 
let  the  wells  and  pumps  be  ever  so  near  to  each  other, 
it  appears  to  me  not  at  all  extravagant  to  suppose  that 
the  waters  of  the  two  rivers  unite  through  this  sand 
stratum,  which  serves  as  a filtering  bed.  The  water 
naturally,  therefore,  is  universally  as  clear  as  crystal 
and  tastes  as  sweet  and  as  free  from  heterogeneous 
particles  as  possible.  But  this  very  circumstance,  the 
inexhaustible  supply  of  clear  water  to  be  found  in 

94 


PHILADELPHIA 


every  possible  spot  of  ground,  and  which  must  have 
appeared  the  most  tempting  inducement  to  its  projector, 
Penn,  to  found  here  a city,  is  the  great  cause,  in  my 
opinion,  of  the  contagion  which  appears  now  to  be  an 
annual  disease  of  Philadelphia,  the  yellow  fever.  The 
houses  being  much  crowded,  and  the  situation  flat, 
without  subterraneous  sewers  to  carry  off  the  filth,  every 
house  has  its  privy  and  its  drains  which  lodge  their  sup- 
plies in  one  boghole  sunk  into  the  ground  at  different 
depths.  Many  of  them  are  pierced  to  the  sand,  and  as 
those  which  are  sunk  thus  low  never  fill  up,  there  is  a 
strong  temptation  to  incur  the  expense  of  digging  them 
deep  at  first  to  save  the  trouble  and  noisomeness  of 
emptying  them. 

In  every  street,  close  to  the  footpath,  is  a range  of 
pumps  at  the  distance  of  about  sixty  or  seventy  feet 
from  which  all  the  water  which  is  used  for  drinking 
or  culinary  purposes  is  drawn.  The  permeability  of 
the  stratum  in  which  the  water  runs,  and  which  the 
action  of  the  pump  draws  to  itself  from  all  parts  round 
it,  must  certainly  contaminate  the  water  of  every  pump 
in  the  neighborhood  of  a sink  loaded  with  the  filth 
of  the  family,  and  as  the  number  of  these  sinks  is  very 
superior  to  that  of  the  pumps,  each  of  them  is  in  a 
manner  surrounded  by  noxious  matter.  That  this  must 
be  the  case  is  evident  from  these  facts:  i.  Those  who 
now  live  in  the  heart  of  the  town,  as  in  Fifth,  Sixth,  or 
Seventh  streets,  but  who  can  remember  when  their 

95 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 

houses  were  in  the  skirts  of  the  city,  complain  that 
their  water  is  growing  worse  since  the  accumulation  of 
houses  beyond  them.  2.  All  the  public  buildings,  which 
have  large  open  squares  around  them,  as  the  State 
House,  the  penitentiary  house,  the  hospital,  etc.,  have 
excellent  water,  and  their  pumps  are  resorted  to  by  all 
their  neighborhood.  3.  All  the  houses  on  the  skirts 
of  the  town,  from  Ninth  to  Eleventh  streets,  have  ad- 
mirable water  as  yet.  4.  In  the  rest  of  the  city  the 
water  is  not  to  be  drunk,  and  it  is  worst  in  the  most 
crowded  neighborhoods.  It  appeared  to  me  to  taste 
as  if  it  contained  putrid  matter.  5.  Before  the  pumps 
were  furnished  with  iron  ladles,  chained  to  the  stocks, 
for  the  purpose  of  drinking  at  them,  those  who  were 
desirous  of  satiating  their  thirst  at  the  pump — which 
very  frequently  happened  to  the  lower  class  of  people 
in  the  violent  heat  of  summer — had  no  other  method 
than  to  put  their  mouths  to  the  spout,  while  they  used 
the  handle.  It  was,  therefore,  a very  common  thing 
that  people  fell  down  dead  at  the  pump.  This  was 
accounted  for  by  their  drinking  the  cold  water  while 
they  were  heated  by  exercise.  But  it  appears  to  me 
infinitely  more  probable  that  the  water  in  the  pump, 
loaded  with  all  kinds  of  putrid  and  putrifying  animal 
substances,  was  in  a state  of  chemical  dissolution,  and 
that  a noxious  gas,  containing  probably  a very  large 
portion  of  azote,  swam,  and  was  confined  upon  its  sur- 
face, the  top  of  the  pump  being  closed  by  an  ornamental 

96 


THE  SCHUYLKILL  RIVER  OPPOSITE  WISSAHICKON. 


PHILADELPHIA 


knob.  This  gas  was,  of  course,  forced  into  the  mouth 
by  the  raising  of  the  bucket  and  inhaled  strongly,  as 
everyone  who  is  going  to  drink  at  a stream  draws  in  his 
breath  with  great  force.  Instantaneous  suspension  of 
life  must  be  the  consequence.  I have  been  assured  by 
a very  respectable  and  credible  man  who  lived  long  in 
Philadelphia,  and  was  a very  active  member  of  the  cor- 
poration, that  to  his  knowledge  no  less  than  thirteen 
men  thus  died  at  the  pump  in  one  day,  and  that  no 
such  accident  had  ever  been  heard  of  since  the  ladles 
were  provided. 

Thus,  therefore,  we  have  a proof  that  there  does 
exist  in  the  mode  by  which  the  city  is  supplied  with 
water  a very  abundant  source  of  disease,  independent 
of  the  noxious  exhalations  of  the  narrow  and  filthy 
alleys  and  lanes.  It  is  true  that  the  inhabitants  of 
Philadelphia  drink  very  little  water.  It  is  too  bad  to 
be  drunk,  and  that  which  is  used  in  tea  and  cookery 
loses,  no  doubt,  most,  if  not  all,  of  its  noxious  quality. 
But  the  evil  lies  in  the  constant  fermentation  of  the 
stratum  of  water  and  production  of  mephitic  air,  to 
which  the  pumps  are  so  many  chimneys  to  convey  it 
into  the  streets  and  open  windows  at  all  times,  and  from 
which  it  is  regularly  pumped  up  every  time  the  handle 
is  depressed. 

As  to  the  public  sewers,  there  are  not  very  many 
of  them,  and  I do  believe  they  are  productive  of  much 
mischief.  That  in  Dock  Street  is  a very  great  evil, 

97 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 

but  it  spreads  over  a small  extent  of  the  city  and 
through  a very  few  streets,  for  I believe  it  produces  no 
noxious  vapors  excepting  when  the  tide  is  out. 

The  great  scheme  of  bringing  the  water  of  the 
Schuylkill  to  Philadelphia  to  supply  the  city  is  now 
become  an  object  of  immense  importance,  though  it  is 
at  present  neglected  from  a failure  of  funds.  The 
evil,  however,  which  it  is  intended  collaterally  to  correct 
is  so  serious  and  of  such  magnitude  as  to  call  loudly 
upon  all  who  are  inhabitants  of  Philadelphia  for  their 
utmost  exertions  to  complete  it. 


98 


CHAPTER  VI 


THE  HABITS  OF  CERTAIN  VIRGINIA  INSECTS 

Fredericksburg,  July  9,  1796. 

AMONG  the  many  ingenious  insects  that  I have 
met  with  in  Virginia,  the  dirt-daubers,  more 
decently  called  masons,  are  particularly  worth 
notice.  They  are  a species  of  wasp 'of  a dark-blue 
color.  Their  cells  are  built  of  clay  and  are  in  ap- 
pearance somewhat  similar  to  the  nests  of  the  English 
house  martins.  I have  not  had  an  opportunity  of  ex- 
amining them,  but  am  told  that  each  cell  contains  an 
egg  and  a spider.  They  are  now  at  work;  later  in  the 
year  I shall  break  into  one  of  their  fortresses;  at  present 
I think  it  a pity  to  put  them  out  of  their  way.  My 
attention  was  this  morning  drawn  to  one  of  them  who 
was  walking  up  and  down  his  mud  fort.  Near  him 
a very  large  spider  had  extended  his  net,  but  had  left 
it  to  attack  a caterpillar  about  two  inches  long,  which 
was  crawling  up  the  wall  in  order  to  suspend  itself  and 
retire  into  the  state  of  a chrysalis.  The  spider  was  of 
a dark-purple  color,  with  one  large  and  two  small  white 
spots  on  his  abdomen  and  a few  slight  white  marks 
down  the  sides.  The  thorax  was  almost  black.  His 


99 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


legs  were  short  and  very  thick  and  mottled  with  white. 
He  had  but  lately  begun  his  meal,  for  his  body  was 
not  much  extended.  I attacked  him  with  a straw.  He 
immediately  ran  off  sideways  with  his  load,  the  cubic 
contents  of  which  were  at  least  eight  or  ten  times  as 
large  as  himself;  but  upon  being  closely  pursued  he 
dropped  it  and  suspended  himself  from  my  straw  by 
a thread.  I wound  him  up  upon  it  and  put  him  near 
the  dirt-dauber.  The  wasp  seemed  immediately  in  great 
agitation,  and  ran  at  him.  The  spider  must  have  given 
the  wasp  a bite,  for  he  darted  back.  However,  he  soon 
attacked  him  again  and  again  retreated.  The  spider 
seemed  willing  to  decline  the  combat,  and  I had  some 
trouble  to  keep  him  near  the  wasp’s  fortification.  My 
curiosity  was,  however,  balked,  for  the  dirt-dauber  got 
entangled  among  some  neighboring  cobwebs  and  the 
spider  took  the  opportunity  of  my  endeavoring  to  ex- 
tricate him  to  drop  himself  by  a thread  into  a crevice 
beyond  my  reach.  The  wasp  cleaned  his  wings  and 
legs  with  great  address  and  then  flew  off.  He  soon 
returned  with  some  dirt  held  between  his  legs.  The 
road  to  his  cells  was  through  an  abattoir  of  cobwebs,  and 
I observed  that  the  wasp  took  particular  care  to  clean 
himself  every  time  he  flew  off  by  running  to  some  clear 
place  and  using  his  legs  like  a fly.  They  are  no  doubt 
furnished  with  means  superior  to  other  insects  to  clear 
their  bodies  of  the  glutinous  threads  of  the  spider,  as 
their  subsistence  seems  to  depend  upon  their  engaging 


ioo 


HABITS  OF  CERTAIN  VIRGINIA  INSECTS 


among  cobwebs.  My  wasp  cleared  himself  easily  of 
what  would  have  destroyed  a large  humming  bee. 

Rippon  Lodge,  July  18,  1796. 

A whole  forenoon  has  been  employed  by  me  in 
examining  the  operations  of  these  ingenious  wasps, 
without  being  yet  able  to  understand  completely  their 
domestic  economy.  Behind  a number  of  framed  prints 
which  hang  in  the  drawing-room  here  a large  colony 
had  established  their  cells,  all  of  which  I destroyed  and 
searched.  Their  cells  are  of  two  kinds,  but  whether 
two  species  of  the  same  insect  construct  them  or  whether 
eggs  of  different  females  of  the  same  are  deposited  in 
them,  I have  not  yet  discovered.  The  first  kind  consists 
of  a tube  which  is  continued  without  internal  divisions 
at  first  for  some  length,  perhaps  four  or  five  inches. 
The  second  consists  of  separate  cells  joined  to  one  an- 
other in  a parallel  arrangement,  each  of  which  is  begun 
and  finished  before  the  next  is  constructed.  The  former 
seem  to  be  executed  with  more  neatness,  the  latter  with 
more  strength,  the  dirt  being  daubed  over  them  in  a 
great  number  of  layers.  I have  not  seen  any  of  the 
masons  in  the  act  of  bringing  dirt  to  the  cells,  but  from 
the  quantity  which  every  cell  requires,  their  labor  must 
be  very  great.  Internally  each  species  of  cell  is  finished 
and  filled  alike.  I think  the  horizontal  cells,  however, 
are  somewhat  less  in  general. 

The  inside  of  the  cells  is  made  perfectly  even  and 


101 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


smooth.  The  mason  had  fixed  his  work  to  the  back  of 
the  print  frame  and  made  use  of  the  wood  as  part  of 
his  internal  finishing  without  being  at  the  trouble 
of  carrying  his  coat  of  dirt  all  round;  and  I have  seen 
one  instance  of  a pipe  being  constructed  in  a hollow 
molding  of  a panel,  so  as  to  save  nearly  half  the  labor 
which  a flat  surface  would  have  demanded.  The  dirt 
has  the  appearance  of  being  platted,  the  mason  while 
at  work  keeping  the  edge  always  in  an  angular  form, 
the  point  of  which  is  upward,  and  working  first  on  one 
and  then  on  the  other  leg  of  the  angle.  The  tube 
being  carried  to  a satisfactory  length,  the  mason  col- 
lects as  many  spiders  as  will  fill  about  three-fourths  of 
an  inch,  for  the  cells  are  not  exactly  equal  in  length. 
The  poor  devils  are  crammed  in  with  unrelenting 
cruelty  as  tight  as  possible.  I have  counted  twenty- 
seven  in  two  cells,  twelve  in  one  frequently,  often  only 
six  or  seven  if  they  happened  to  be  large  ones,  and  once 
as  many  as  sixteen  small  yellow  spiders  in  one  cell. 
Upon  opening  many  of  the  cells  these  miserable  crea- 
tures were  still  alive,  though  so  languid  that  they  could 
but  barely  move,  and  soon  died  when  exposed  to  the 
sun.  I have  been  often  shocked  and  distressed  at  the 
scenes  of  cruelty  and  misery  that  seem  to  form  a part 
of  the  system  of  nature,  but  I scarce  ever  saw  so  dread- 
ful a contrivance  of  torment  as  appears  to  be  employed 
by  the  masons  against  the  poor  spiders,  if  we  may  rea- 
son upon  their  feelings  from  our  own.  The  variety  of 


102 


HABITS  OF  CERTAIN  VIRGINIA  INSECTS 


spiders  collected  by  these  industrious  robbers  is  much 
greater  than  my  own  curiosity  ever  exhibited  to  me  in 
my  searches  after  subjects  of  natural  history.  They 
remain  in  the  cells  in  very  good  preservation  even  when 
dead,  not  being  in  the  least  mutilated  till  devoured  by 
the  grub  for  whose  food  they  are  provided. 

Having  filled  the  cell  with  spiders  the  mason  then 
lays  an  egg  into  the  lower  part  of  it  and  closes  it  up 
with  dirt.  Another  stop  is  then  put  to  the  head  of  the 
next  cell  close  to  the  stop  of  the  last,  and  the  same  pro- 
vision laid  in.  The  horizontal  cells  are  managed  in 
the  same  way.  The  egg  produces  as  usual  a grub.  The 
uppermost  cell  produces  the  first  complete  insect.  It 
is  astonishing  with  what  dexterity  the  mason  attacks, 
conquers,  and  bears  off  a large  spider  much  heavier  than 
himself.  In  the  woods  they  fix  their  pipes  to  the  south 
sides  of  overhanging  rocks.  The  young  mason  makes 
a hole  in  the  side  of  his  cell  to  extricate  himself. 

Fredericksburg,  July  24,  1796. 

Wasps  and  hornets.  I believe  all  insects  of  this 
class  have  more  or  less  ingenuity,  from  the  honey-and- 
wax-making  bee  down  to  the  little  wasp  who  persecutes 
the  caterpillars  and  deposits  his  eggs  in  their  bodies. 

1.  The  first  wasp  I have  observed  in  Virginia  ap- 
peared as  early  as  March.  He  was  a long  slender 
black  fellow,  very  busy,  and  I was  told  that  his  sting 
is  very  acute.  He  suspends  his  comb  from  ceilings  of 

10  103 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


outhouses  and  branches  of  trees,  where  I have  found 
them  with  about  a dozen  hexagonal  cells  and  eggs  in 
the  beginning  of  May.  I have  not  observed  them 
since. 

2.  The  next  that  excited  my  attention  was  the 
mason.  He  was  at  work  the  beginning  of  June,  in 
Amelia,  and  I suppose  everywhere  else  in  this  State. 

3.  A large  humble-be-looking  insect  at  the  same 
time  attracted  my  notice.  He  was  at  work  in  an  orifice 
he  had  made  in  a piece  of  timber.  I am  told  their 
passages  are  sometimes  a foot  or  two  long.  Captain 
Murray  told  me  he  had  often  traced  them  to  that 
length,  but  I have  never  had  the  means  of  examining 
either  the  insect  or  his  work. 

4.  At  Rippon  Lodge  some  wasps  were  at  work  in 
the  bench  of  the  portico  in  the  same  manner.  I could 
not  get  one  of  them,  but  I blew  up  part  of  their  pas- 
sages with  gunpowder.  One  of  them  was  full  of  saw- 
dust at  the  outer  end.  Farther  on  seemed  to  be 
chrysalides  which  were  mashed  in  being  taken  out.  I 
followed  another  for  some  inches,  but  it  was  empty. 
In  appearance  the  insect  resembled  the  bald-face  hornet. 

5.  The  bald-face  hornet.  This  dangerous  fly  is 
proverbially  fierce.  If  he  is  disturbed  he  darts  at  the 
face  of  the  intruder  with  great  force  and  inflicts  in  a 
moment  a sting,  the  pain  and  swelling  of  which  are 
most  extraordinary.  He  is  not  so  large  as  the  English 
hornet,  but  much  larger  than  a bee.  He  derives  his 

104 


HABITS  OF  CERTAIN  VIRGINIA  INSECTS 


name  from  the  pale-yellow  color  of  his  face.  His  body 
is  also  spotted  with  straw  color  and  the  two  low  folds 
of  his  abdomen  are  jagged  with  yellow.  His  sting  is 
black  and  very  long  and  thick.  A yellow  bag  adheres 
to  it  when  drawn.  The  females  as  well  as  the  males 
are  furnished  with  this  weapon,  for  one  of  them  whom 
I was  examining  laid  an  egg  into  my  hand.  Their  nest 
is  strongly  wrought  into  the  leaves  of  a twig  by  which 
it  is  suspended  from  the  branch  of  a tree.  The  external 
covering  is  composed  of  a number  of  thin,  tough  flakes 
resembling  parchment,  which  turn  the  wet  most  com- 
pletely. Near  the  bottom  is  a hole  at  which  the  hornets 
enter  and  depart,  and  the  nest  may  be  easily  taken  and 
destroyed  by  stopping  this  hole  in  the  night  with  a 
cork.  In  the  inside  are  different  cakes  of  hexagonal 
cells.  That  which  I saw  had  two.  They  were  placed 
obliquely,  and  the  entrance  hole  was  between  them,  and 
served  both  cakes.  The  young  hornets  come  to  ma- 
turity successively.  Many  of  the  cells  were  empty,  hav- 
ing discharged  the  brood;  others  contained  small,  others 
large  grubs,  and  others  were  closed  and  held  a chrysalis. 
The  grub  is  very  similar  to  that  of  the  mason  reversed, 
having  a thick  head  and  a slender  tail.  These  nests 
are  sometimes  found  as  big  as  a bushel.  That  which 
I saw  was  about  as  big  as  the  head  of  a boy  of  ten 
years  old.  The  food  of  these  furies  is  flies.  One  of 
them  fell  into  my  butter  dish  at  breakfast  with  his 
prisoner.  They  follow  their  prey  into  houses  and  are 

105 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 

unpleasant  visitors,  but  they  do  not  sting  unless  pro- 
voked. 

6.  In  the  side  of  a bank  at  Mr.  Thornton’s  a swarm 
of  bees  was  supposed  to  exist.  We  went  to  the  attack 
of  them,  but  found  the  family  very  few  in  number, 
though  there  were  a great  many  holes.  The  bees  all 
escaped.  In  opening  the  holes  I found  they  continued 
a few  inches  into  the  bank  perfectly  cylindrical  and 
smooth;  in  one  or  two  was  a white  grub.  I did  not 
see  any  of  the  bees,  so  called. 

7.  In  searching  for  the  bees  we  discovered  in  a 
neighboring  stump  a colony  of  scarlet  wasps,  longer  and 
lanker  than  the  masons.  Their  comb  was  suspended 
from  a jag  of  the  stump  and  exactly  similar  to  that  of 
the  common  wasp.  It  was  full  of  bluish  worms  in  dif- 
ferent stages. 

8.  The  yellow  jacket  I have  not  examined,  but  he 
appears  to  be  when  on  wing  very  like  the  common 
wasp,  and  I am  informed  burrows  in  the  ground  in  the 
same  manner. 

The  bees,  the  black,  the  scarlet  and  the  yellow  wasps, 
and  the  bald-face  hornet,  feed  their  grubs  in  the  cells 
during  their  growth  with  daily  supplies.  In  this  they  all 
differ  from  the  mason,  wTho  is,  I think,  one  of  the  most 
whimsical  of  God’s  works.  The  bees  have  something 
of  his  forethought  and  their  materials  are  more  useful 
to  man  and  better  manufactured,  and  they  are  therefore 
more  noticed  and  admired.  But  the  odd  predilection 

106 


HABITS  OF  CERTAIN  VIRGINIA  INSECTS 


of  the  mason  for  spiders,  his  separate  provisions  for 
each  grub,  and  his  cruelty  seem  very  eccentric  instincts. 
The  spiders  of  Virginia  may  truly  be  said  to  fear  the 
blue  devils. 


Richmond,  June  29,  1797. 

On  the  6th  of  June  I went  down  to  the  Dismal 
Swamp,  being  engaged  in  a survey  of  the  property  of 
the  old  Dismal  Swamp  Company.  On  the  25th  I re- 
ceived a letter  from  the  Governor  of  Virginia  inform- 
ing me  that  my  plan  of  the  penitentiary  house  was 
adopted  by  the  executive,  and  desiring  me  to  return 
immediately  to  Richmond  to  direct  the  first  steps  for 
carrying  it  into  effect.  I set  off  the  next  day,  and  ar- 
rived through  Portsmouth,  etc.,  and  Petersburg  at  this 
place  on  the  27th.  To-day  I was  admitted  to  an  inter- 
view with  the  board  of  Council,  and  received  their 
instructions. 

I spent  the  morning  of  yesterday  at  Colonel  Jo 
Mayo’s  house,  about  one  and  one-half  miles  from  Pence 
on  the  western  road.  The  wasps  called  dirt-daubers  or 
masons  were  very  busy  behind  the  framed  prints  in  his 
dining  room.  This  mason,  whose  cells  are  joined  longi- 
tudinally and  form  one  tube,  seems  to  be  the  most  com- 
mon of  the  two.  The  proverb,  “ Two  of  a trade  can 
never  agree,’’  does  not  apply  to  these  two  species  of 
spider  catchers.  I have  found  both  species  at  work 
behind  the  same  picture. 


107 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 

There  is  a considerable  difference,  however,  not  only 
in  their  manner  of  constructing  their  cells,  but  in  the 
structure  of  their  bodies.  The  Sphex  carulea  is  of  a 
very  blue  color,  the  other,  which  is  not  described  by 
Linnaeus,  is  quite  black,  and  spotted  on  the  thorax  and 
thighs  with  yellow.  The  former  has  a petiolated  ab- 
domen, but  the  petiole  increases  gradually  from  its 
union  with  the  thorax;  the  petiole  of  the  latter  is  of 
equal  thickness  till  it  suddenly  swells  at  its  union  with 
the  abdomen.  The  nose  of  the  former  is  somewhat 
pointed,  of  the  latter  it  is  broad,  emarginate,  and 
slightly  turned  up. 

In  lifting  the  picture  from  the  wall,  I injured  several 
of  the  cells  of  the  industrious  workman;  the  dirt  stick- 
ing to  the  wall  being  torn  off.  I held  up  the  frame  a 
little  and  he  soon  returned  to  work,  bringing  with  him 
a round  lump  of  dirt.  He  had  just  begun  a new  cell, 
but  seeing  his  former  work  disturbed  he  ran  rapidly 
over  the  cells  seemingly  doubtful  what  to  do.  At  last 
he  put  down  the  lump  upon  one  of  the  holes  I had 
made,  and  began  spreading  it  with  his  nose,  pushing 
it  out  before  him  with  the  action  of  a hog  who  is  root- 
ing. While  he  did  this  he  made  a shrill,  buzzing  noise. 
Having  plastered  up  the  hole  very  completely  and 
neatly,  he  flew  away.  In  about  four  minutes  he  re- 
turned with  another  lump  of  dirt.  He  put  this  down 
upon  another  hole,  and  stopped  it  up  in  the  same  man- 
ner, and  thus  he  employed  himself  four  times.  The 

108 


V 


DIRT-DAUBERS’  CELLS. 


HABITS  OF  CERTAIN  VIRGINIA  INSECTS 


fifth  time  he  brought  his  dirt  to  his  new  cell,  and  was 
proceeding  to  go  on  with  it — having  completed  his  re- 
pairs— when  I pressed  the  picture  to  the  wall,  and  thus 
caught  him. 

I then  opened  his  cells,  beginning  with  the  lowest, 
and  being  curious  to  ascertain  in  what  manner  the 
quantity  of  spider  flesh  collected  for  the  worm  is  as- 
certained, as  the  size  of  the  spiders  is  very  various,  I 
weighed  them. 

From  the  trial  it  appears  that  the  quantity  of  food 
collected  for  each  worm  is  nearly  the  same  in  weight, 
about  seven  and  one-half  grains,  notwithstanding  the 
difference  of  the  spiders  in  number,  some  of  the 
cells  containing  twenty-two  or  twenty-three  and  some 
only  eighteen,  and  the  difference  of  weight  was  only 
proportioned  to  the  consumption  of  spiders  in  each. 
It  also  appears  that  the  worm,  whose  weight  at  his  first 
escape  from  the  eggs  scarce  amounts  to  the  fifth  part 
of  a grain,  weighs  at  his  full  growth  about  one-half 
as  much  as  the  food  that  reared  him. 

The  whole  class  of  insects  called  by  Linnaeus  Hy- 
menoptera  seem  endowed  with  singular  modes  of  econo- 
my, with  much  ingenuity  and  almost  reasoning  faculties. 
The  ichneumon  lays  his  eggs  in  the  bodies  of  other 
insects  or  animals.  The  sphex  is  a careful  provider  of 
substance  through  the  life  of  his  young  progeny.  The 
vespa  is  an  architect;  the  apis  follows  many  trades, 
building,  making  wax,  and  collecting  honey,  etc.,  etc. 

109 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


The  ingenuity  of  the  formica,  the  ant,  exceeds  perhaps 
that  of  all  the  others. 

When  my  sphex  saw  the  dilapidation  I had  occa- 
sioned in  his  cells,  he  must  have  thought  and  reasoned 
upon  what  he  should  do.  The  mischief  was  done  in 
his  absence.  The  mud  he  brought  on  his  return  was 
intended  to  build  a new  cell.  But  seeing  the  injury 
done  to  the  old  ones,  he  altered  his  plan  and  before 
he  proceeded  to  build  the  new  ones  he  thoroughly  re- 
paired the  former. 


Richmond,  July  12,  1797. 

Since  my  arrival  I have  been  entirely  engaged  in  set- 
ting out  the  foundations  of  the  new  penitentiary  house, 
and  in  getting  forward  the  provisory  steps  for  its  erec- 
tion. Although  so  near  Richmond,  and  so  much  fre- 
quented by  cattle,  the  steep  gravelly  knoll  upon  which 
the  house  is  to  stand,  abounds  in  snakes  and  scorpions, 
as  a poisonous  lizard  with  a red  head  and  green  body 
is  here  very  improperly  called.  These  reptiles  found 
the  brick  kiln,  before  it  was  set  fire  to,  a very  convenient 
lodging  house,  and  those  who  attended  the  burning  of 
the  brick  told  me  that  as  soon  as  the  fire  and  smoke 
began  to  incommode  them  they  left  their  retreats  in 
great  numbers  and  were  seen  crawling  round  the  top 
of  the  clamp  till  the  fire  put  an  end  to  their  misery. 
In  clearing  the  ground  several  moccasins  and  scorpions 
have  been  killed,  of  which  I saw  some. 


1 10 


HABITS  OF  CERTAIN  VIRGINIA  INSECTS 


Two  days  ago  the  following  singular  circumstance 
occurred,  of  which  Major  Quarrier,  Colonel  Burnley, 
and  myself  were  witnesses.  The  morning  was  ex- 
tremely hot — there  had  been  a meeting  of  several  mem- 
bers of  the  executive  upon  the  ground,  and  we  were 
returning  down  the  side  of  a hill,  when  we  heard  a 
violent  screaming  of  birds  in  a small,  low  bush.  We 
stopped,  and  saw  two  of  the  birds,  called  the  French 
mocking  bird,  furiously  pecking  at  and  fighting  with 
something  which  was  hid  in  the  bush.  I got  very  near 
them  and  perhaps  disturbed  them,  for  presently  the 
birds  Hew  up  the  hill,  close  upon  the  ground,  and  a 
large  black  snake  followed  them.  They  alighted  upon 
a tree  near  us  and  seemed  in  great  agitation.  Of  the 
snake  we  soon  lost  sight.  On  examining  the  bush  we 
found  a young  mocking  bird  alive,  but  wounded  severe- 
ly in  the  back  and  bleeding  much.  I took  it  up.  It 
screamed,  and  was  answered  by  the  old  one  in  the  tree. 
I therefore  put  it  down  again,  went  away,  and  presently 
saw  the  old  ones  descend  to  its  assistance.  It  should 
seem  that  the  snake  had  been  robbing  the  nest  during 
the  absence  of  the  old  birds.  This  is  a very  striking 
instance  of  the  strength  and  courage  inspired  by 
parental  affection. 

Who  will  explain  the  difference  of  feeling  in  the 
same  person  ? See  how  the  poor  little  fly  struggles  in  the 
net  and  with  what  savage  activity  and  joy  the  spider 
weaves  the  web  around  him.  He  is  yet  too  free,  too 


1 1 1 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


unfettered,  to  be  safely  attacked;  he  can  move  his  wings, 
he  can  move  his  legs,  he  buzzes  violently  with  his 
wings.  But  every  thread  robs  him  of  some  motion. 
Already  the  action  of  his  wings  is  clogged.  He  sinks 
into  the  net  that  is  every  moment  strengthened.  Hold, 
I will  relieve  thee,  little  sufferer!  But  is  this  humanity? 
Art  thou  not  truly  destined  for  the  food  of  spiders  by 
the  hand  that  created  you  both?  Shall  I interfere  and, 
by  saving  a life  half  destroyed,  rob  another  of  its  sup- 
port? I will  venture  it. 

And  I took  the  fly  gently  from  the  web  that 
crossed  the  window  of  my  office.  One  of  the  threads 
brought  the  spider  along,  and  he  crawled  upon  my 
hand.  In  the  haste  to  brush  him  off  I killed  him. 
“ There  is  one  life  lost,”  said  I,  “ and  what  have  I 
saved  ? ” 

My  poor  fly  has  one  of  his  wings  fastened  over  his 
head  by  a thread  of  the  web.  I have  removed  it,  but 
the  joint  is  dislocated  and  he  cannot  use  the  wing.  He 
buzzes  violently  with  the  other.  But  he  cannot  walk 
or  fly.  His  legs  are  tied  together.  How  shall  I hold 
him  so  as  not  to  hurt  him? 

With  great  care  I at  last  cleared  him  of  the  filmy 
fetters  that  bound  him.  But  he  is  lame  and  hobbles 
miserably  along.  Have  I done  him  any  good?  The 
office  is  full  of  spiders — one  of  them  will  catch  him 
again.  So  I turn. 

“ Here,  Hannah!  Clear  away  all  these  spiders  to- 


1 12 


HABITS  OF  CERTAIN  VIRGINIA  INSECTS 


morrow  morning.  How  can  you  let  the  office  be  in 
this  condition?  ” 

“ Dang  ’em  master!  what  between  spiders  and  flies 
I never  saw  such  a place  in  my  life.  What  were  they 
made  for?  I can’t  tell,  I’m  sure.” 

Alas!  no  more  can  I.  We  are  equally  ignorant 
if  the  question  were  put  respecting  ourselves.  To  be 
happy?  Why  then  is  half  our  life  at  least  spent  in 
misery  and  a great  part  of  the  remainder  in  sleep  and 
apathy.  Is  there  a smile  but  what  is  bought  with  a 
tear?  Is  there  a glory  but  what  cost  the  wretchedness 
of  thousands?  A feast  but  what  is  enriched  by  the 
spoils  of  Death. 

The  Hindoo’s  advice  is  good:  “ Since  all  things  are 
uncertain , repose  thyself .” 


CHAPTER  VII 


THE  BUILDING  OF  THE  NATIONAL  CAPITOL,  WITH 
EXPRESSIONS  OF  THE  AUTHOR^  CANONS 
OF  ART 

I WAS  introduced  in  1798  to  Dr.  William  Thorn- 
ton, then  one  of  the  commissioners  of  Washing- 
ton City,  by  William  McClure,  Esq.,  now  one 
of  the  commissioners  of  the  United  States  at  Paris.  I 
was  then  on  my  way  to  Philadelphia  to  take  upon  me  the 
direction  of  the  Bank  of  Pennsylvania  and  the  supply 
of  the  city  with  water.  Of  course  I had  no  objects  to 
solicit  in  Washington.  I spent  the  afternoon  with  the 
doctor.  One  of  the  first  subjects  introduced  was  the 
plan  of  the  Capitol,  of  which  he  had  a ground  plan 
and  east  elevation.  Of  the  plan  I had  a copy  given 
me  by  Volney,  and  differing  from  that  which  has  been 
executed  in  some  respects,  and  another  by  Hallet  given 
me  by  Mr.  Greenleaf.  With  freedom,  but  without  giv- 
ing offense,  I objected  to  both  plan  and  elevation,  ex- 
actly on  those  points  which  I have  since  endeavored  to 
correct,  and  having  taken  great  liberty  in  my  remarks, 
I offered  to  give  to  the  doctor  a drawing  in  per- 

114 


BUILDING  OF  THE  NATIONAL  CAPITOL 


spective  of  his  design  which  I trusted  would  convince 
him  of  its  errors.  But  he  never  sent  me  the  necessary 
materials. 

In  the  year  1803  I was  appointed  Surveyor  of  the 
Public  Buildings.  I called  for  drawings  to  guide  my 
operations.  The  President  gave  me  a plan,  and  Dr. 
Thornton  gave  me  another.  They  were  copies  of  each 
other  and  both  perfectly  useless;  neither  of  them  agreed 
with  the  work  as  founded  or  carried  up,  and  there  were 
no  details  whatever.  In  the  superintendent’s  office  no 
drawings  existed.  To  speak  plainly,  the  design  was 
evidently  the  production  of  a man  wholly  ignorant  of 
architecture,  having  brilliant  ideas,  but  possessing 
neither  the  knowledge  necessary  for  the  execution  nor 
the  capacity  to  methodize  and  combine  the  various 
parts  of  a public  work.  In  some  respects  the  plan  as 
far  as  it  indicated  what  was  intended  was  impracticable, 
and  in  all  respects  it  was  so  inconvenient  and  often  use- 
less in  its  arrangements  that  I despaired  of  correcting 
it.  However,  I gave  to  it  several  days  of  severe  study, 
and  then  stated  to  the  President  that  I could  not  under- 
take its  execution.  He  consented  to  alterations.  I pro- 
posed consulting  Dr.  Thornton.  The  President  said  it 
was  unnecessary  and  would  be  useless.  Having  in  the 
course  of  a week,  however,  formed  and  reduced  to 
drawing  all  my  proposed  alterations,  I called  on  the 
doctor,  to  whom  I believed  much  to  be  due  on  the  score 
of  delicacy.  I procured  an  interview,  at  which,  after 

1 15 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


much  argument  and  heat,  he  at  last  consented  to  admit 
my  ideas  into  the  plan.  But  the  next  day  he  called 
on  me,  and,  with  much  irritation  and  using  language 
offensive  and  uncivil,  he  recanted.  I began,  however, 
to  build,  with  the  consent  of  the  President,  agreeably  to 
my  own  plan,  and  in  the  foundations  no  great  altera- 
tion was  perceptible.  The  doctor  and  myself  remained 
on  tolerable  terms.  The  doctor,  however,  was  not 
silent,  and  I found  myself  assailed  on  all  quarters  by 
members  of  the  Congress  that  met  in  1804  respecting 
alterations  of  the  plan  approved  by  General  Washing- 
ton, for  on  that  point  all  objection  turned.  Even  the 
President  wished  no  unnecessary  alteration  from  the 
plan  approved  by  General  Washington  to  be  made. 
When  the  committee  met  to  consider  the  message  on  the 
public  buildings,  I was  called  before  them  and  asked 
in  writing  to  exhibit  the  plan  approved  by  General 
Washington. 

Previously  to  my  appearing  before  the  committee, 
I called  on  Dr.  Thornton  in  order  to  consult  on  my 
answer.  I was  received  with  violent  expressions  of 
anger.  I was  so  harassed  by  the  despair  of  executing 
a work  which  would  do  me  any  sort  of  credit  that  I 
sent  in  my  resignation  to  the  President,  and  begged  to 
decline  all  further  attempt  to  correct  errors  which,  in 
spite  of  the  utmost  latitude  and  power  and  discretion 
in  my  office,  were  too  deeply  rooted  in  the  design  not  to 
give  me  infinite  trouble  and  vexation.  My  resignation 

1 16 


BUILDING  OF  THE  NATIONAL  CAPITOL 


was  not  accepted.  I therefore  went  on  in  the  manner 
which  is  now  before  the  public. 

Philadelphia,  December  13,  1803. 
The  Honorable  Aaron  Burr,  Vice-President  of 
the  United  States  and  President  of  the 
Senate. 

Sir:  Soon  after  my  appointment  to  the  direction  of 
the  public  buildings  at  Washington,  I did  myself  the 
honor  to  address  a letter  to  you  at  Charleston,  on  the 
subject  of  rendering  the  chamber  of  the  United  States 
Senate  more  commodious,  and  especially  on  the  means 
of  warming  it  more  effectually.  I much  fear  that  this 
letter,  which  I transmitted  by  a private  hand,  did  not 
reach,  it  being  probable  that  you  had  left  Charleston 
before  it  could  arrive.  In  the  meantime  the  early  meet- 
ing of  the  Legislature  rendered  it  necessary  that  the 
best  means  which  I could  devise  should  be  pursued  to- 
ward accomplishing  the  latter  object,  and,  with  the  ap- 
probation of  the  President  of  the  United  States,  the 
works,  which  I much  regret  were  not  completed,  were 
commenced.  The  faulty  construction  of  the  Capitol 
rendered  it  absolutely  necessary  to  open  windows  for 
the  admission  of  light  and  air  into  the  cellar  story 
under  the  Senate  chamber.  It  wTas  then  discovered  that 
some  of  the  timber  of  the  floor  was  in  a state  of  decay; 
that  the  cellar  was  filled  with  stones  and  rubbish,  in 
many  places  to  its  whole  depth,  and  that,  owing  perhaps 

1 17 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


to  alterations  in  the  first  designs,  walls  of  enormous 
mass,  but  of  little  use,  occupied  some  of  the  most  useful 
space.  The  removal  of  these  obstructions  required  con- 
siderable time  and  labor,  and  the  erection  of  furnaces 
intended  to  warm  the  room  above,  the  clearing  of  flues, 
and  the  building  of  one  entire  stack  could  not  be  speed- 
ily accomplished.  The  pipes  and  the  stoves  themselves 
could  only  be  made  in  Philadelphia  or  New  York,  and 
the  yellow  fever  which  prevailed  in  both  those  cities  was 
another  cause  of  delay.  In  spite,  therefore,  of  my 
utmost  exertion,  the  object  is  only  just  now  on  the  eve 
of  being  attained,  the  stoves  being  cast  and  ready  to 
be  sent  forward  by  the  first  vessel. 

I have  troubled  you  with  the  recital  of  this  detail 
in  hopes  that  it  may  plead  my  apology  with  you  and 
with  the  members  of  the  Senate,  and  I have  no  doubt 
but  that  when  the  stoves  shall  be  fixed  and  other  ar- 
rangements made,  the  Senate  chamber  will  be  equally 
and  pleasantly  warmed  in  every  part  of  it.  Independ- 
ently of  the  erection  of  the  stoves,  it  is  necessary  to 
ceil  the  cellar  story  and  I have  given  directions  to  my 
agent,  Mr.  Lenthall,  to  prepare  everything  for  this 
purpose,  and  he  will  wait  upon  you  with  this  letter  to 
receive  such  directions  as  you  may  think  proper  to  give. 

The  fund  from  which  the  expenses  of  this  work 
has  hitherto  been  defrayed  is  the  sum  of  $50,000, 
placed  at  the  disposal  of  the  President  of  the  United 
States  for  the  purpose  of  completing  and  repairing  the 

1 1 8 


SKETCH  OF  THE  CAPITOL  FROM  THE  WEST. 


BUILDING  OF  THE  NATIONAL  CAPITOL 


public  buildings,  etc.,  etc.,  at  Washington,  by  an  act  of 
the  last  Legislature.  In  order  that  this  fund  may  go 
to  the  greatest  possible  extent  toward  the  completion  of 
the  buildings  themselves,  I beg  leave  to  submit  to  you 
whether  the  expenses  attending  the  stoves  and  in  the 
erection  of  furnaces  and  flues  in  the  cellar,  as  well  as 
the  stoves  themselves  which  more  evidently  may  be  con- 
sidered as  furniture,  might  not  be  charged  to  the  con- 
tingent fund  of  the  Senate. 

1 am  sure  you  will  acquit  me  of  any  intentional 
indiscretion  in  making  this  suggestion.  Previously  to 
the  statement  of  my  accounts  of  the  manner  in  which 
the  funds  intrusted  to  me  have  been  expended,  I con- 
sidered it  in  a great  degree  my  duty  to  state  to  you 
my  ideas  on  this  subject  for  your  consideration,  and  I 
hope  on  my  arrival  in  Washington,  in  the  course  of  ten 
days,  to  be  guided  by  your  decision  and  advice.  An 
account  of  what  these  expenses  have  amounted  to  will, 
if  you  require  it,  be  made  out  by  Mr.  Lenthall. 

I am,  with  truest  respect,  etc. 

Washington,  February  27,  1804. 
The  President  of  the  United  States. 

Dear  Sir:  I judged  very  ill  in  going  to  Dr.  Thorn- 
ton. In  a few  peremptory  words  he  in  fact  told  me 
that  no  difficulties  existed  in  his  plan  but  such  as  were 
made  by  those  who  were  too  ignorant  to  remove  them, 
and  though  these  were  not  exactly  his  words,  his  ex- 

119 


11 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


pressions,  his  tone,  his  manner,  and  his  absolute  refusal 
to  devote  a few  minutes  to  discuss  the  subject,  spoke  his 
meaning  even  more  strongly  and  offensively  than  I have 
expressed  it.  I left  him  with  an  assurance  that  I should 
not  be  the  person  to  attempt  to  execute  his  plan,  and 
had  I been  where  I could  have  obtained  immediate  pos- 
session of  pen,  ink,  and  paper,  I should  have  directly 
solicited  your  permission  to  resign  my  office. 

I owe,  however,  too  much  to  you  to  risk  by  so  hasty 
a step  the  miscarriage  of  any  measure  you  may  wish 
promoted,  and  I shall  devote  as  before  my  utmost  en- 
deavors to  execute  the  disposition  in  the  committee,  to 
which  I am  summoned  to-morrow  morning,  in  favor  of 
the  appropriation. 

In  respect  to  the  plan  itself,  it  is  impossible  to  con- 
vey by  words  or  drawings  to  the  mind  of  any  man  the 
impression  of  the  practical  difficulties  in  execution  which 
twenty  years’  experience  creates  in  the  mind  of  a pro- 
fessional man.  I fear  I have  said  too  much  for  the 
respect  I owe  your  opinions,  though  much  too  little 
for  the  force  of  my  own  convictions.  The  utmost 
praise  I can  ever  deserve  in  this  work  will  be  that  of 
la  difficulte  vaincue , and  after  receiving  your  ultimate 
directions  all  my  exertion  shall  be  directed  to  gain  this 
praise  at  least. 

My  wish  to  avoid  vexation,  trouble,  and  enmities  is 
weak  compared  to  my  desire  to  be  placed  among  those 
whom  you  regard  with  approbation  and  friendship. 


120 


BUILDING  OF  THE  NATIONAL  CAPITOL 


If  you,  therefore,  under  all  circumstances,  conceive 
that  my  services  still  be  useful,  I place  myself  entirely 
at  your  disposal. 

In  order  to  pass  my  accounts  it  will  be  necessary  to 
produce  a regular  appointment  from  you  to  my  office. 
May  I beg  you  to  give  the  necessary  directions  for  this 
purpose?  I ought  to  leave  Washington  on  Wednesday 
morning.  I am,  etc.,  etc. 

After  writing  this  letter  and  before  I drew  up  my 
report  to  the  committee  on  the  President’s  message 
respecting  the  public  buildings,  but  having  had  an  inter- 
view with  Mr.  Blagden  and  Mr.  Hatfield  as  to  the 
facts  which  I have  therein  stated,  I met  the  committee 
as  soon  as  it  broke  up. 

The  President’s  letter  of  26th  of  February,  1804, 
was  delivered  me.  I answered  it  immediately,  explain- 
ing in  many  instances  the  utter  absurdity  of  the  plan, 
especially  in  respect  to  the  conference  room,  which 
though  drawn  in  the  plan  of  the  ground  story  belongs 
to  the  floor  above,  and  to  the  want  of  light  in  the  two 
rooms  on  each  side  of  the  conference  room.  I also  stated 
what  had  passed  verbally  before  the  committee,  and 
that  I was  required  to  give  it  them  in  writing.  Of  this 
letter  I have  no  copy.  In  the  evening  I had  an  inter- 
view with  the  President,  when  after  much  conversation 
he  appeared  convinced  of  the  absurdity  of  many  parts 
of  the  plan  and  the  impracticability  of  others,  and  de- 


12 1 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


sired  me  to  transmit  to  him  drawings  of  a practicable 
and  eligible  design  retaining  the  features  of  that  adopted 
by  General  Washington. 


Newcastle,  March  29,  1804. 
The  President  of  the  United  States, 
Washington. 

Dear  Sir:  I herewith  transmit  to  you  a separate 
roll  containing  drawings,  being  the  plans  and  sections 
of  the  south  wing  of  the  Capitol  according  to  the  ideas 
which  I explained  to  you  when  I had  the  favor  of  see- 
ing you  last.  I fear,  however,  that  these  and  any  other 
preparations  for  proceeding  with  the  public  works  may 
be  useless,  for  by  a letter  from  Mr.  Lenthall  I learn 
that  the  appropriation  bill  has  passed  the  Senate  with 
an  amendment  enjoining  the  removal  of  Congress  to  the 
President’s  house.  This  amendment  must  either  be 
fatal  to  the  bill  when  returned  to  the  House  of  Rep- 
resentatives or  divert  the  expenditure  of  the  appro- 
priation from  the  Capitol  to  I know  not  what  sort  of 
an  arrangement  for  Congress  and  for  the  President, 
if  it  should  pass  into  a law. 

However,  as  it  is  impossible  to  think  or  speak  with 
legal  respect  of  the  yeas  in  such  a measure,  or  to  sup- 
pose that  such  a law  should  pass  both  houses,  I will 
take  the  liberty  to  explain  the  drawings  as  concisely  as 
I can. 


122 


UNFINISHED  SKETCH  OF  THE  CAPITOL,  FROM  THE  EAST. 


BUILDING  OF  THE  NATIONAL  CAPITOL 


Washington,  March  6,  1805. 

Philip  Mazzei,  Esq. 

Sir:  By  direction  of  the  President  of  the  United 
States  I take  the  liberty  to  apply  to  you  for  your  assist- 
ance in  procuring  for  us  the  aid  of  a good  sculptor  in 
the  erection  of  the  public  buildings  in  this  city,  espe- 
cially of  the  Capitol. 

The  Capitol  was  begun  at  a time  when  the  country 
was  entirely  destitute  of  artists  and  even  of  good  work- 
men in  the  branches  of  architecture,  upon  which  the 
superiority  of  public  over  private  buildings  depends. 
The  north  wing,  therefore,  which  is  carried  up,  al- 
though the  exterior  is  remarkably  well  finished  as  to 
its  masonry,  is  not  a good  building.  For  two  or  three 
years  after  the  removal  of  Congress  to  this  city  the 
public  works  were  entirely  discontinued.  In  the  year 
1803,  however,  they  were  resumed,  and  under  the  pat- 
ronage of  the  present  President  and  the  annual  appro- 
priations by  Congress  the  south  wing  of  the  Capitol 
has  been  begun  and  carried  on.  It  is  now  so  far  ad- 
vanced as  to  make  it  necessary  that  we  should  as  early 
as  possible  have  the  assistance  of  a good  sculptor  of 
architectural  decorations.  In  order  to  procure  such  an 
artist  the  President  of  the  United  States  has  referred 
me  to  your  assistance,  and  to  enable  you  to  make  choice 
of  the  person  most  likely  to  answer  our  purpose  I will 
beg  leave  to  describe  to  you  the  nature  of  the  work  we 
require  to  be  done.  The  principal  sculpture  required 

123 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 

will  be  of  twenty-four  Corinthian  capitals,  two  feet  four 
inches  in  diameter  at  their  feet,  and  open  enriched 
entablatures,  of  147  feet  (both  English  measure)  in 
length.  There  are  besides  five  panels  ( tavole ) enriched 
with  foliage  and  an  eagle  of  colossal  size  in  the  frieze, 
the  distance  between  the  tips  of  the  extended  wings 
being  twelve  feet  six  inches. 

The  material  in  which  this  is  to  be  cut  is  a yel- 
lowish sandstone  of  fine  grain,  finer  than  the  peperino 
or  gray  sandstone  used  in  Rome — the  only  Italian  sand- 
stone of  which  I have  any  distinct  recollection.  This 
stone  yields  in  any  direction  to  the  chisel,  not  being  in 
the  least  laminated  nor  hard  enough  to  fly  off  (sprawl) 
before  a sharp  tool.  It  may,  therefore,  be  cut  with 
great  precision.  The  wages  given  by  the  day  to  our 
best  carvers  is  from  $3  to  $2.50,  or  from  about  $750 
to  $900  per  annum.  They  are  considered  good  wages, 
but  the  workmen  who  receive  them  are  very  indiffer- 
ent carvers  and  do  not  deserve  the  name  of  sculptors. 
My  object  is  to  procure  a first-rate  sculptor  in  the  par- 
ticular branch  of  architectural  decoration.  He  should 
be  able  to  model  and  bring  with  him  another  good, 
though  inferior,  workman  as  his  assistant,  to  whom  we 
could  pay  from  $1.50  to  $2  per  day. 

It  is  not  my  intention  to  confine  you  to  these  prices, 
but  to  leave  it  to  you  to  do  the  best  you  can  for  the 
public  interest  both  as  to  the  excellence  of  the  talents 
and  the  moderation  in  the  wages  of  the  person  you  may 

124 


BUILDING  OF  THE  NATIONAL  CAPITOL 


be  pleased  to  select.  Should  you  even — which  I do  not 
think  improbable — find  a man  of  superior  merit  willing 
to  come  hither  on  lower  terms  than  those  we  pay  to 
our  very  indifferent  carvers,  it  were  well  to  contract  with 
him  at  the  terms  with  which  he  will  be  perfectly  satis- 
fied, as  he  may  depend  on  receiving  such  an  addition  to 
his  stipulated  salary  if  his  conduct  merits  it  as  will 
place  him  in  proper  relation  as  to  salary  as  well  as  to 
abilities  with  our  other  workmen.  There  are,  however, 
other  qualities  which  seem  so  essential  as  to  be  at  least 
as  necessary  as  talents.  I mean  good  temper  and  good 
morals.  Without  them  an  artist  would  find  himself 
most  unpleasantly  situated  in  a country  the  language 
and  manners  of  which  are  so  different  from  his  own, 
and  we  should  have  no  dependence  upon  a person 
discontented  with  his  situation.  For  though  every 
exertion  would  be  made  upon  my  part  to  make  his 
engagement  perfectly  agreeable  to  him,  the  irritability 
of  good  artists  is  well  known  and  it  is  often  not  easily 
quieted. 

The  American  consul  at  Leghorn,  who  does  me  the 
favor  to  forward  this  to  you,  will  provide  all  the  ex- 
penses and  make  the  arrangements  necessary  to  the 
voyage  of  the  persons  you  may  select.  I think  it  nec- 
essary that  they  should  enter  into  a written  contract  to 
remain  with  us  two  years.  We  will  pay  all  their  ex- 
penses hither,  their  salary  to  commence  on  the  day  on 
which  they  shall  be  ready  to  leave  Leghorn,  and  any 

I25 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


reasonable  advance  to  enable  them  to  wind  up  their 
affairs  at  home  would  be  paid  to  them.  Single  men 
would  be  preferred,  but  no  objection  would  be  made  to 
a married  man,  whose  family  may  come  over  with  him. 
On  expiration  of  the  time,  and  should  he  choose  to 
return,  the  expenses  of  the  voyage  will  also  be  paid  to 
him  on  his  arrival  again  in  Italy  and  not  before.  But 
this  stipulation  should  not  be  made  unless  absolutely 
demanded.  I have  a further  favor  to  ask  which  I hope 
will  give  you  less  trouble  than  the  preceding.  It  is  pro- 
posed to  place  in  the  chamber  of  Representatives  a sit- 
ting figure  of  Liberty  nine  feet  in  height.  I wish  to 
know  for  what  sum  such  a figure  would  be  executed  by 
Canova  in  white  marble,  and  for  what  sum  he  would 
execute  a model  in  plaster  (the  only  material  I believe, 
in  which  it  could  be  brought  hither),  to  be  executed 
here  in  American  marble  from  the  model. 

If  Canova  should  decline  the  proposal  altogether, 
as  he  must  now  be  an  old  man,  what  would  be  the  price 
of  such  a statue  and  such  a model  by  the  artist  he  should 
recommend  as  in  his  opinion  the  nearest  to  himself  in 
merit? 

Although  I have  not  the  honor  to  be  personally 
known  to  you,  I shall  not  take  up  your  time  by  apologies 
for  giving  you  this  trouble. 

The  time  is  already  approaching  when  our  vines 
and  our  olives  will  spread  your  name  and  our  gratitude 
over  a great  portion  of  our  country.  Let  us  also  owe 

126 


BUILDING  OF  THE  NATIONAL  CAPITOL 

to  your  kindness  the  introduction  of  excellence  in  the 
most  fascinating  branch  of  art. 

With  true  respect,  etc.,  etc. 

Wilmington,  Del.,  May  5,  1805. 
The  President  of  the  United  States. 

Dear  Sir:  I herewith  transmit  to  you  two  sheets 

containing  the  drawing  of  the  buildings  proposed  to 
connect  the  President’s  house  with  the  public  offices  on 
each  side.  The  height  of  the  story  indispensably  nec- 
essary in  the  fireproof  of  the  Treasury,  of  which  I by 
this  post  also  transmit  a plan  to  the  Secretary  of  the 
Treasury,  as  well  as  the  general  appearance  and  the 
connection  of  the  colonnade  with  the  offices  at  different 
heights,  have  induced  or  rather  forced  me  to  make  the 
colonnade  of  the  exact  height  of  the  basement  story. 
This  throws  up  the  blocking  course  to  the  window  of 
the  President’s  house  and  gets  over  all  difficulties. 

Washington,  June  18,  1805. 

To  the  Masons  and  Bricklayers  employed  at 
the  Capitol: 

(In  answer  to  a written  memorial  signed  by  all  of  them,  the 
work  of  Clotworthy  Stevenson,  carpenter,  formerly  em- 
ployed by  the  commissioners  and  one  of  the  principal  pecu- 
lators.) 

I should  have  sooner  noticed  your  application  to 
me  had  it  not  been  necessary  to  make  some  previous 

127 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 

inquiry  into  the  facts  which  ought  to  govern  my  de- 
cision on  it. 

Your  request  that  the  hours  of  work  may  begin  only 
at  six  o’clock  in  the  morning  and  end  at  six  o’clock  in 
the  evening  is  founded  upon  the  practice  adopted  in  the 
erection  of  the  north  wing.  Whatever  circumstances 
may  have  rendered  this  regulation  proper  at  the  time, 
you  will,  I am  sure,  agree  that  it  is  the  duty  of  every 
public  officer  to  take  care  that  the  public  work  shall  not 
be  performed  on  worse  terms  than  those  that  prevail 
in  private  business  in  the  same  place.  Punctuality  and 
certainty  of  payment  render  the  employment  on  public 
works  much  more  advantageous  to  the  workmen  than 
any  private  undertaking,  and  there  cannot,  therefore,  be 
any  good  reason  why  the  public,  paying  with  more 
punctuality  and  with  more  certainty,  should  also  con- 
sent to  pay  more  in  amount  than  what  may  be  called 
the  market  price  of  labor. 

For  it  is  the  same  thing  whether  the  wages  be  raised 
or  the  hours  of  labor  reduced.  It  is  also  necessary  that 
uniformity  should  prevail  in  the  terms  on  which  the 
public  work  is  done  in  different  departments.  At  the 
navy  yard  the  same  hours  are  observed  which  are  now 
kept  at  the  Capitol,  and  though  two  hours  are  allowed 
at  dinner  time,  no  rest  is  permitted  in  the  course  of  the 
morning  or  afternoon  as  with  us.  You  will  therefore 
perceive,  with  the  best  disposition  to  consult  your  ad- 
vantage, these  considerations  forbid  the  adoption  of  the 

128 


WEST  ELEVATION  OF  THE  CAPITOL  AT  WASHINGTON. 


BUILDING  OF  THE  NATIONAL  CAPITOL 


alteration  in  the  working  hours  at  the  Capitol  to  the 
extent  you  propose. 

Allowing,  however,  the  justice  of  your  statement, 
as  to  the  inconvenience  and  heat  of  the  place  to  which 
your  work  is  confined,  two  hours  will  be  granted  at 
dinner  time  from  this  day  to  the  ist  of  September 
next,  and  one  hour  and  a half  from  the  ist  of  September 
to  the  2 1 st  of  September,  after  which  day  the  old 
regulation  will  again  prevail.  The  usual  time  of  re- 
freshment in  the  morning  and  afternoon  will  also  be 
continued  during  this  season  in  consideration  of  the 
situation  of  the  work. 

In  respect  to  the  time  lost  by  the  deficiency  of  ma- 
terial, I most  sincerely  regret  that  your  interests  should 
have  suffered  by  the  faults  of  the  contractors  for  ma- 
terials as  well  as  the  interest  of  the  public.  But  I con- 
fess that  neither  I nor  those  to  whom  my  conduct  is 
amenable  can  see  in  what  manner  any  reparation  can  be 
made  to  you  by  us  for  an  injury  which  did  not  arise 
out  of  any  fault  of  ours.  And  besides,  the  plain  prin- 
ciple that  the  public  ought  not  to  be  placed  on  worse 
terms  with  you  than  an  individual  would  be  must  gov- 
ern the  case.  And  I should  ask  you  what  individual 
would  consent  to  such  allowance? 

It  is  the  most  unpleasant  part  of  my  duty  to  act 
contrary  to  the  expectations  of  men  who  have  so  faith- 
fully and  in  so  workmanlike  a manner  carried  on  the 
public  work,  but  while  I in  this  respect  act  agreeably 

129 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


to  my  conscience  and  to  my  instructions,  I assure  you 
that  I consider  your  general  conduct  to  be  deserving 
of  every  encouragement  that  it  is  in  my  power  to 
give. 


August  12,  1806. 

Bishop  Carol  (one  of  the  best  men  in  the  world) 
being  here,  I walked  a little  before  sunset  to  Mr.  Brent’s 
to  see  him.  As  I passed  over  the  uninhabited  part  of 
the  town  between  the  Capitol  and  his  house,  which  was 
a low  swampy  piece  of  ground  covered  with  bushes,  a 
tall,  middle-aged  woman  popped  out  upon  me  from  a 
crossroad  with  a gun  in  her  hand.  As  I was  thinking 
certainly  not  upon  a gun  in  the  hands  of  a woman,  I 
started  a little  back. 

“ Sir,”  said  she,  “ pray,  for  God’s  sake,  buy  this 
piece  of  me.” 

There  was  a wildness  in  her  look  which  induced  me 
to  think  her  crazy.  I therefore  took  the  gun  from  her 
and  putting  the  ramrod  into  it  found  it  was  loaded. 
I asked  her  how  she  came  to  carry  a loaded  gun  and 
laughing  said  that  she  would  get  more  by  presenting 
it  than  by  asking  money  for  it. 

She  said  she  did  not  know  it  was  loaded  and  seemed 
frightened  at  the  circumstance,  but  in  order  to  account 
for  offering  it  for  sale  she  said  she  was  a widow  with 
several  small  children;  that  her  husband  had  money 
when  he  came  hither,  but  had  on  his  death  left  her  in 

130 


BUILDING  OF  THE  NATIONAL  CAPITOL 


great  distress;  that  the  present  drought  had  prevented 
her  getting  any  meal;  that  all  her  children  were  sick, 
her  money  gone,  and  that  she  was  now  begining  to  live 
upon  her  furniture  and  clothes.  The  thing  she  could 
best  spare  was  the  fowling-piece,  etc.,  etc. 

Her  distress  seemed  unfeigned  and  extreme.  While 
I was  talking  to  her  one  of  my  people  came  up  who 
knew  her.  I gave  her  some  trifling  relief  and  he  bought 
the  gun. 

But  what  is  to  become  of  a widow  with  sick  chil- 
dren in  this  wretched  and  desolate  place  when  the  tem- 
porary relief  is  expended.  The  city  abounds  in  cases 
of  extreme  poverty  and  distress.  The  families  of  work- 
men whom  the  unhealthiness  of  the  city,  and  idleness 
arising  from  the  capricious  manner  in  which  the  appro- 
priations for  the  erection  of  the  public  buildings  have 
been  granted,  give  to  them  for  a short  time  high  wages 
and  again  for  a whole  season  do  not  afford  them 
a week’s  work.  The  result  is  distressing.  Workmen 
who  are  ruined  in  circumstances  and  health  are  to  be 
found  in  extreme  indigence  scattered  in  wretched  huts 
over  the  waste  which  the  law  calls  the  American  me- 
tropolis. They  inhabit  the  half-finished  houses,  now 
tumbling  to  ruins,  which  the  madness  of  speculation 
has  erected.  Besides  these  wretched  remnants  of  in- 
dustrious and  happy  families  enticed  hither  by  their 
own  golden  dreams,  or  the  golden  promises  of  swin- 
dling or  deceived  speculators,  there  are  higher  orders  of 

131 


y 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 

beings  quite  as  wretched  and  almost  as  poor,  though 
as  yet  not  quite  so  ragged.  These  are  master  trades- 
men, chiefly  building  artisans,  who  have  purchased  lots 
and  perhaps  built  houses  in  which  they  have  invested 
their  all.  Many  of  them  brought  hither  have  sunk  the 
earnings  of  a laborious  life,  which  in  any  other  spot 
would  have  given  to  them  ease  and  to  their  children 
education.  Distress  and  want  of  employment  has  made 
many  of  them  sots.  Few  have  saved  their  capital. 
Most  of  them  hate,  calumniate,  or  envy  each  other, 
for  they  are  all  fighting  for  the  scanty  means  of  support 
which  the  city  affords. 

Above  these  again  are  others  who  brought  large  for- 
tunes to  this  great  vortex  that  swallowed  everything  ir- 
recoverably that  was  thrown  into  it.  Law,  Duncannon, 
Stoddart,  and  many  others,  from  affluent  circumstances, 
are  involved  by  their  sanguine  hopes  in  embarrass- 
ments from  which  nothing  but  the  grave  will  set  them 
free. 

Of  the  adventurers  and  swindlers  whom  the  estab- 
lishment of  the  city  brought  hither,  few  remain.  S. 
Blodget  is  confined  in  the  bounds  of  the  prison,  but 
collects  five-dollar  subscriptions  for  the  establishment 
of  the  university.  Greenleaf  pays  annual*  visit  to  the 
courts  of  justice  for  the  purpose  of  testing  titles  to  lots, 
and  also  as  agent  for  his  creditors  who  hold  assign- 
ments on  his  city  property.  The  rest  have  disappeared 
or  are  dead. 


I32 


BUILDING  OF  THE  NATIONAL  CAPITOL 

Daily  through  the  city  stalks  the  picture  of  famine, 
L’Enfant  and  his  dog.  The  plan  of  the  city  is  probably 
his,  though  others  claim  it.  This  singular  man,  of 
whom  it  is  not  known  whether  he  was  ever  educated 
to  his  profession  or  not,  had  the  courage  to  undertake 
any  public  work  that  might  be  offered  to  him.  He 
has  not  succeeded  in  any,  but  was  always  honest,  and 
is  now  miserably  poor.  He  is  too  proud  to  receive  any 
assistance  and  it  is  very  doubtful  in  what  manner  he 
subsists. 

George  Hadfield,  once  a promising  young  artist, 
sent  hither  by  the  English  Society  of  Dillitanti  at  the 
requisition  of  General  Washington,  and  employed  to  di- 
rect the  public  buildings,  was  too  young  to  possess  ex- 
perience and  education.  Proficient  more  in  the  room 
of  design  than  in  the  practical  execution  of  great  work, 
he  was  no  match  for  the  rogues  then  employed  in  the 
construction  of  the  public  buildings,  or  for  the  char- 
latans in  architecture  who  had  designed  them.  All  that 
he  proposed,  however,  proved  him  a man  of  correct 
tastes,  of  perfect  theoretic  knowledge,  and  of  bold  in- 
tegrity. He  waged  a long  war  against  the  ignorance 
and  the  dishonesty  of  the  commissioners  and  of  the 
workmen.  But  the  latter  prevailed,  for  General  Wash- 
ington, led  by  his  feelings  and  possessing  no  knowledge 
of  the  subject,  sided  against  him.  Thus  has  Hatfield 
lost  the  most  precious  period  of  his  life,  that  of  the 
practical  study  of  his  profession  in  the  first  works  he 

133 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


might  have  executed.  He  loiters  here,  ruined  in  for- 
tune, in  temper,  and  reputation,  nor  will  his  irritable 
pride  and  neglected  study  ever  permit  him  to  take  the 
station  in  the  art  which  his  elegant  taste  and  excellent 
talent  ought  to  have  obtained. 

To  go  through  the  list  of  injured  fortunes  or  ruined 
characters  which  this  establishment  has  caused  would 
fill  a volume.  The  conduct  of  the  original  proprietors 
who  have  killed  the  goose  that  would  have  laid 
the  golden  eggs,  is  another  very  copious  subject  for 
remark. 

At  present  the  expenditure  of  money  under  my  di- 
rection on  the  public  buildings  relieves  in  some  measure 
the  general  despair.  I employ  scarce  any  master  work- 
men that  do  not  do  the  work  by  the  day  under  proper 
superintendence,  of  whom  the  chief — and  he  would  be 
the  chief  anywhere — is  John  Lenthall,  great-grandson 
of  the  ci-devant  president  of  the  Rump  Parliament 
under  Cromwell. 

I found  him  here  nearly  as  badly  off  as  any  of  the 
rest  who  had  sunk  their  prosperity  in  buildings.  I wish 
I could  reward  his  merit  as  it  deserves. 

This  mode  of  executing  the  work  by  the  day  has 
this  effect,  that  the  laboring  mechanics  receive  with  cer- 
tainty their  wages,  instead  of  the  moneys  going  to  prop 
the  credit  and  pay  the  debts  of  the  masters.  In  one 
instance,  in  which  I cannot  act  freely,  the  master  swal- 
lowed all.  It  would  be  so  in  most  cases. 


134 


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BUILDING  OF  THE  NATIONAL  CAPITOL 


Washington,  April  29,  1807. 
The  President  of  the  United  States. 

Sir:  At  the  President’s  house  I have  laid  out  the 
road  on  the  principle  of  the  plan  extended  to  you.  A 
small  alteration  of  the  outline  of  the  inclosures  to  the 
south  was  necessarily  made,  which  renders  the  whole 
ground  infinitely  more  handsome  and  accommodates 
the  public  with  an  easier  access  from  the  Pennsylvania 
Avenue  to  the  New  York  Avenue.  In  the  plan  sub- 
mitted to  and  approved  by  you  a semicircle  was  struck 
to  the  south  from  the  center  of  the  bow  of  the  house. 
The  semicircle  carried  the  inclosure  too  far  to  the 
south.  Mr.  King  will  lay  before  you  the  new  plan, 
which  differs  from  the  other  in  being  of  oblong  figure 
instead  of  a semicircle. 

By  this  alteration  many  very  important  objects  are 
gained : 

1.  The  Pennsylvania  and  New  York  avenues  are 
by  the  wall  and  gate  opposite  to  them  at  right  angles. 

2.  A direct  access  is  obtained  from  the  New 
York  to  the  Pennsylvania  Avenue  and  on  the  shortest 
line. 

3.  The  wall  is  straight  from  point  to  point,  and 
thus  all  circular  work  is  avoided. 

4.  The  nature  of  the  ground  is  consulted  so  far  as 
to  obtain  the  best  level  for  the  road  with  the  least 
removal  of  earth. 

5.  The  road  runs  in  such  a manner  that  the  Presi- 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


dent’s  house  is  not  overlooked  from  the  low  ground  and 
is  covered  by  the  rising  knolls  as  the  road  rises. 

Having  laid  out  the  ground  with  the  assistance  of 
Mr.  King,  to  whose  kindness  and  skill  I am  under  the 
greatest  obligations,  the  next  consideration  was  how  to 
do  the  greatest  quantity  of  business  with  the  fund  ap- 
propriated, and  if  possible  to  get  at  least  the  south  half 
of  the  wall  built  this  summer.  I therefore  bought  a 
cargo  of  lime,  made  a contract  for  stone,  and  prepara- 
tory arrangements  for  the  work  itself. 

The  next  step  was  to  get  down  to  the  foot  of  the 
wall  on  the  south  side  by  cutting  out  the  road  to  its 
proper  width,  leaving  the  internal  dressing  of  the 
ground  to  the  last.  The  building  of  the  wall  rendered 
it  necessary  to  go  to  the  permanent  depth  of  the  road, 
otherwise  I should  have  contented  myself  with  laying 
it  down  on  its  right  place,  removing  only  so  much  earth 
as  would  have  made  the  declivities  convenient  to  the 
carriages.  But  this  could  not  be  done,  and  I con- 
tracted to  loosen  the  ground  from  the  first  walnut  south- 
east of  the  President’s  house  to  the  War  Office,  the 
width  of  the  road,  footpath,  and  wall. 

The  next  consideration  was  to  execute  your  direc- 
tions as  to  the  north  side  of  the  President’s  house,  and 
to  level  the  ground  regularly  and  gradually  from  the 
level  of  the  stones  in  front  of  the  steps,  which  nearly 
agrees  with  the  site  of  the  offices,  sloping  in  their  di- 
rection toward  the  inclosure.  The  earth  which  \yas  to 

136 


BUILDING  OF  THE  NATIONAL  CAPITOL 


effect  this  necessarily  was  removed  from  the  site  of  the 
offices  between  the  President’s  house  and  the  War 
Offices. 


Philadelphia,  May  21,  1807. 
The  President  of  the  United  States. 

Sir:  In  arranging  the  papers  which  I brought  with 
me  from  Washington  I have  had  the  mortification  of 
finding  the  inclosed  letter,  written  immediately  before 
my  departure  from  the  city  and  intended  to  have  been 
forwarded  by  the  post  of  the  evening,  but  which,  it 
appears,  in  the  hurry  of  packing  up,  had  slipped  into 
my  paper  case.  I still  beg  the  favor  of  you  to  read  it, 
as  it  contains  my  reason  for  the  measures  I took  pre- 
vious to  my  departure,  and  will  explain  the  manner  in 
which  I hope  to  accomplish  your  objects  as  respects  the 
arrangement  of  the  ground  around  the  President’s 
house. 

On  the  1 6th  inst.  your  letter,  Monticello,  April  22, 
reached  me  here,  being  forwarded  by  Mrs.  Lenthall. 
Hoping  to  be  at  Washington  as  soon  at  least  as  you 
return  I did  not  immediately  answer  it.  But  I am 
waiting  from  day  to  day  for  the  arrival  of  one  of  the 
Georgetown  packets  in  order  to  put  my  things  on  board 
previous  to  my  removal. 

I am  very  sensible  of  the  honor  you  do  me  in  dis- 
cussing with  me  the  merits  of  the  detail  of  the  public 
building.  I know  well  that  to  you  it  is  my  duty  to  obey 

137 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 

implicitly  or  to  resign  my  office : to  myself  it  is  my 
duty  to  maintain  myself  in  a situation  in  which  I can 
provide  for  my  family  by  all  honorable  means.  If  in 
any  instance  my  duty  to  you  obliged  me  to  act  con- 
trary to  my  judgment,  I might  fairly  and  honorably 
say  with  Shakespeare’s  apothecary:  “ My  poverty,  not 
my  will  consents.”  Such  excuse,  however,  I have  never 
wanted,  for  although  in  respect  to  the  panel  lights  I 
am  acting  diametrically  contrary  to  my  judgment,  no 
mercenary  motive  whatever  has  kept  me  at  my  post, 
but  considerations  very  superior  to  money — the  attach- 
ment arising  from  gratitude  and  the  highest  esteem. 
At  the  same  time  I candidly  confess  that  the  question 
has  suggested  itself  to  my  mind : What  shall  I do  when 
the  condensed  vapor  of  the  hall  showers  down  upon 
the  heads  of  the  members  from  one  hundred  skylights, 
as  it  now  does  from  the  skylights  of  our  anatomical  hall, 
as  it  did  from  the  six  skylights  of  the  Round  House,  as 
it  does  from  the  lantern  of  the  Pennsylvania  Bank,  and 
as  it  does  from  that  of  our  university — an  event  I be- 
lieve to  be  as  certain  as  that  cold  air  and  cold  glass 
will  condense  warm  vapor?  This  question  I have  asked 
myself  for  many  months  past.  I shall  certainly  not 
cut  my  throat  as  the  engineer  of  Staines  Bridge  did 
when  the  battlement  failed,  and  his  beautiful  bridge 
fell  because  the  commissioners  had  ordered  him  to  pro- 
ceed contrary  to  his  judgment.  But  I dare  not  think 
long  enough  on  the  subject  to  frame  an  answer  to  my 

138 


SOUTH  ELEVATION  OF  THE  PRESIDENT’S  HOUSE. 
Copied  from  the  design  of  proposed  alterations,  1807. 


BUILDING  OF  THE  NATIONAL  CAPITOL 


own  mind,  but  go  blindly  on,  hoping  that  “ fata  viano 
invenient .” 

In  respect  to  the  general  subject  of  cupolas,  I do 
not  think  that  they  are  always,  nor  even  often,  orna- 
mental. My  principles  of  good  taste  are  rigid  in 
Grecian  architecture.  I am  a bigoted  Greek  in  the 
condemnation  of  the  Roman  architecture  of  Baalbec, 
Palmyra,  Spaletro,  and  of  all  the  buildings  erected 
subsequent  to  Hadrian’s  reign.  The  immense  size,  the 
bold  plan  and  arrangements  of  the  buildings  of  the 
Romans  down  almost  to  Constantine’s  arch,  plundered 
from  the  triumphal  arches  of  former  emperors,  I 
admire,  however,  with  enthusiasm,  but  think  their 
decorations  and  details  absurd  beyond  tolerance  from 
the  reign  of  Severus  downward.  Wherever,  therefore, 
the  Grecian  style  can  be  copied  without  impropriety,  I 
love  to  be  a mere,  I would  say  a slavish , copyist,  but 
the  forms  and  the  distribution  of  the  Roman  and  Greek 
buildings  which  remain  are  in  general  inapplicable  to 
the  objects  and  uses  of  our  public  buildings.  Our  re- 
ligion requires  churches  wholly  different  from  the  tem- 
ples, our  Government,  our  legislative  assemblies,  and 
our  courts  of  justice,  buildings  of  entirely  different 
principles  from  their  basilicas;  and  our  amusements 
could  not  possibly  be  performed  in  their  theaters  or 
amphitheaters.  But  that  which  principally  demands  a 
variation  in  our  buildings  from  those  of  the  ancients 
is  the  difference  of  our  climate.  To  adhere  to  the  sub- 


139 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 

ject  of  cupolas,  although  the  want  of  a belfry,  which 
is  an  Eastern  accession  to  our  religious  buildings,  ren- 
dered them  necessary  appendages  to  the  church,  yet 
I cannot  admit  that  because  the  Greeks  and  Romans 
did  not  place  elevated  cupolas  upon  their  temples,  they 
may  not  when  necessary  be  rendered  also  beautiful. 
The  Lanthorne  of  Demosthenes,  than  which  nothing  of 
the  kind  can  be  more  beautiful,  is  mounted  upon  a mag- 
nificent mass  of  architecture  harmonizing  with  it  in 
character  and  style.  The  question  would  be  as  to  its 
real  or  apparent  utility  in  the  place  in  which  it  appeared, 
for  nothing  in  the  field  of  good  taste,  which  ought  never 
to  be  at  warfare  with  good  sense,  can  be  beautiful  which 
appears  useless  or  unmeaning. 

If  our  climate  were  such  as  to  admit  of  doing  legis- 
lative business  in  open  air,  that  is  under  the  light  of  an 
open  orifice  in  the  crown  of  a dome,  as  at  the  Parthenon, 
I would  never  put  a cupola  on  any  spherical  dome. 
It  is  not  the  ornament,  it  is  the  use  that  I want. 

If  you  will  be  pleased  to  refer  to  Degodetz,  you 
will  see  that  there  is  a rim  projecting  above  the  arch 
of  the  Parthenon  at  the  opening.  This  rim,  in  the 
dome  projected  for  the  centerpiece  of  the  Capitol,  is 
raised  by  me  into  a low  pedestal  for  the  purpose  of 
covering  a skylight,  which  could  then  be  admitted,  al- 
though I think  it  inadmissible  in  a room  of  business. 
But  I should  prefer  the  hemisphere,  I confess.  As  to 
the  members  of  Congress,  with  the  utmost  respect  for 

140 


BUILDING  OF  THE  NATIONAL  CAPITOL 


the  Legislature,  I should  scarcely  consult,  but  rather 
dictate  in  matters  of  taste. 

I beg  pardon  for  this  trespass  on  your  time.  You 
have  spoiled  me  by  your  former  indulgence  in  hearing 
my  opinions  expressed  with  candor.  A few  days  will 
give  me  the  pleasure  of  personally  assuring  you  of  the 
profound  respect  of  yours  faithfully. 

Washington,  August  13,  1807. 
The  President  of  the  United  States. 

My  whole  time,  excepting  a few  hours  now  and 
then  devoted  to  the  President’s  house,  is  occupied  with 
drawing  and  directions  for  the  north  wing,  in  the 
arrangements  for  which  I am  pursuing  the  eventual 
plan  approved  and  presented  by  you  to  Congress  at 
the  last  session,  and  in  pushing  on  the  work  of  the 
south  wing.  Bui  I am  again  almost  in  despair  about 
the  roof.  We  had  a gentle  northeast  storm  without 
much  wind,  but  with  a persevering  rain  of  thirty-six 
hours.  It  began  on  Wednesday  evening  and  did  not 
cease  raining  till  Friday  morning  (yesterday).  I was 
often  under  the  roof  and  upon  it  during  this  time, 
and  must  say  that  the  leakage  was  such  that  Congress 
could  not  have  sat  either  on  Thursday  or  Friday  in  the 
room.  And  what  is  as  bad  as  the  leakage,  the  ceiling 
is  stained  all  over,  and  the  entablature  of  the  colonnade 
is  in  some  places  black  with  the  water  soaking  through 
the  ribs  and  receiving  iron  from  the  numerous  nails. 

141 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


Yesterday  I took  off  one  of  the  strips  which  cover  the 
joints,  and  discovered  one  cause  of  leakages. 

It  is  now  too  late  to  make  experiments.  Nothing 
appears  clearer  to  me  than  that  we  are  in  a situation 
in  which  there  is  no  room  to  deliberate  on  the  cost 
of  any  method  whatsoever  which  to  common  sense  and 
experience  appears  effectual.  To  place  Congress  at 
its  next  session  under  a leaky  roof  would  be  con- 
sidered almost  an  insult  to  the  Legislature  after  what 
passed  at  the  last  session.  Of  the  total  destruction  of 
my  individual  reputation,  of  the  personal  disgrace  I 
should  incur  after  the  censure  implied  by  my  reports 
of  my  predecessors,  I say  nothing.  I dare  not  think 
of  it.  It  would  drive  me,  who  have  never  yet  failed 
in  any  professional  attempt,  to  despair.  But  there  are 
public  considerations  which  seem  to  involve  higher 
interests.  Your  administration,  sir,  in  respect  of  public 
works,  has  hitherto  claims  of  gratitude  and  respect 
from  the  public  and  from  posterity.  It  is  not  flattery 
to  say  that  you  have  planted  the  arts  in  your  country. 
The  works  already  erected  in  this  city  are  the  monu- 
ments of  your  judgment  and  of  your  zeal  and  of  your 
taste.  The  first  sculpture  that  adorns  an  American 
public  building  perpetuates  your  love  and  your  protec- 
tion of  the  fine  arts.  As  for  myself,  I am  not  ashamed 
to  say  that  my  pride  is  not  a little  flattered  and  my 
professional  ambition  roused  when  I think  that  my 
grandchildren  may  at  some  future  day  read  that  after 

142 


BUILDING  OF  THE  NATIONAL  CAPITOL 


the  turbulence  of  revolution  and  of  faction  which  char- 
acterized the  two  first  presidencies,  their  ancestor  was 
the  instrument  in  your  hands  to  decorate  the  tran- 
quillity, the  prosperity,  and  the  happiness  of  your  gov- 
ernment. Under  this  stimulus  I have  acted,  and  I hope, 
by  the  character  of  what  I have  executed  hitherto  under 
your  orders.,  obtained  an  influence  over  the  feelings  and 
opinions  of  Congress,  which,  without  some  fatal  disaster 
or  miscarriage,  would  insure  the  progress  and  comple- 
tion of  all  your  objects  of  which  you  can  make  me  the 
instrument.  But  I am  now  in  despair.  The  next  ses- 
sion is  to  decide  not  my  fate  only,  but  the  whole  de- 
pendence which  Congress  shall  in  future  place  upon  any- 
thing which  may  be  proposed  by  you  on  the  subject  of 
public  works.  My  former  representations  on  the  cer- 
tain event  of  the  panel  lights  prove  that  I am  not  now 
attempting  by  flattery  to  obtain  the  prevalence  of  my 
individual  opinions.  How  unworthy  of  all  your  kind- 
ness and  confidence  should  I be,  could  I for  a moment 
degrade  myself  and  insult  you  by  insincerity.  If  I of- 
fend it  will  be  by  too  indiscreetly  laying  before  the 
Chief  Magistrate  of  the  Union,  the  nervous,  irritable, 
and  perhaps  petulant  feelings  of  an  artist.  But  you 
will  forgive  me  for  the  sake  of  my  candor. 

I have  strayed  from  my  subject  to  represent  my 
feelings. 

I cannot  add  any  consideration  to  what  I have  said 
which  will  not  occur  to  you,  and  I beg  you  will  have 

143 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


the  goodness  to  give  me  as  early  a decision  as  con- 
venient to  you,  that  we  may  proceed  to  work.  I can- 
not help  thinking  that  it  would  be  highly  useful  to 
present  to  Congress  fair  drawings  of  the  Senate  cham- 
ber, etc.,  as  proposed  to  be  executed.  It  would  prob- 
ably be  the  means  of  carrying  the  point,  and  perhaps 
progressing  with  the  center.  I am  at  present  entirely 
without  a clerk.  Might  I engage  the  assistance  of  a 
clerk,  for  my  time  is  so  wholly  occupied  that  it  is  scarce- 
ly possible  for  me  to  take  the  necessary  rest,  and  the 
most  pressing  engagements  of  the  practical  execution 
are  such  that  I can  only  make  the  working  drawings, 
and  that  at  home  and  in  the  evenings? 

With  highest  respect  and  gratitude,  I am  faithfully. 

Washington,  September  i,  1807. 
President  of  the  United  States. 

Dear  Sir:  The  greatest  inconvenience  we  suffer  is 
from  the  most  troublesome  multitudes  of  visitors,  who 
crowd  the  house  at  all  times,  and  who  do  infinite  mis- 
chief to  the  plastering  and  the  stone  work,  and  the 
lower  classes  who  carry  off  whatever  they  can  lay  their 
hands  on.  The  building  was  for  some  time  the  regular 
play  place  for  all  the  boys  in  the  city,  and  nothing  but 
great  exertion  has  kept  them  in  better  order.  It  ap- 
pears to  me  absolutely  necessary,  whenever  the  furni- 
ture shall  be  brought  into  the  house,  and  much  of  it 
is  already  there,  that  access  should  be  denied  to  every- 

144 


BUILDING  OF  THE  NATIONAL  CAPITOL 


one  without  exception,  otherwise  great  offense  will  be 
given  by  a partial  restriction,  and  indeed  the  visits  of 
the  more  respectable  would  be  very  inconvenient.  It 
has,  therefore,  occurred  to  me  that  after  the  15th  of 
September  admittance  will  be  prohibited,  and  also  to 
put  up  the  notice  at  the  Capitol.  In  favor  of  strangers 
passing  through  I might  make  what  exceptions  ap- 
peared proper.  It  would  give  additional  sanction  and 
weight  to  this  notice  could  I plead  the  direction  of  the 
President  of  the  United  States,  but  if  you  do  not  think 
it  of  sufficient  importance  to  use  so  mighty  a sanction, 
I have  no  reluctance  to  take  upon  me  all  the  obloquy 
which  I know  it  will  occasion. 

Washington,  April  13,  1808. 

John  Randolph,  Esq. 

Sir:  Since  I had  the  honor  of  seeing  you  this  morn- 
ing the  report  on  the  debate  of  the  appropriations  for 
the  public  buildings,  as  reported  in  the  United  States 
Gazette,  fell  into  my  hands.  I am  very  sensible  of  the 
impropriety  of  noticing,  out  of  the  House,  anything  that 
has  been  said  by  a member  in  debate,  and  therefore  it 
would  be  perhaps  more  discreet  in  me  to  leave  the  pres- 
ent letter  unwritten  than  even  attempt  to  attain  its  very 
innocent  and  respectful  object  by  writing  at  all  in  ref- 
erence to  anything  you  may  have  said  in  your  speech. 
But  you  have  been  too  long  known  to  me  and  to  the 
public  to  permit  me  to  doubt  your  receiving  this  proof 

145 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 

of  my  confidence  in  your  candor  otherwise  than  it  is 
meant. 

You  received  my  thanks  for  having  expressed  your 
good  opinion  of  my  talents  with  kindness,  and  I cannot 
believe  that  you  will  refuse  to  hear  an  explanation  on 
a point  in  which  I am  much  more  interested — my  ca- 
pacity as  a man  of  business  and  accountant. 

Nothing  has  so  much  injured  my  utility  to  the  pub- 
lic and  to  my  family  as  the  very  prevailing  opinion  that 
men  who,  unfortunately  for  themselves,  are  called  men 
of  genius  are  incapable  of  the  management  of  money. 
I,  unfortunately,  have,  very  undeservedly,  acquired  this 
nickname  merely  because  I stand  alone  in  a profession 
in  which  there  is  not  room  in  our  country  for  more 
than  one,  and  which  requires  some  portion  of  imagina- 
tion. It  is  a mark  upon  me  the  effects  of  which  I feel 
daily,  and  which  keeps  me  from  acquiring  the  inde- 
pendence which  a dull  usurer  or  a dealer  in  dry  goods 
can  easily  and  honorably  attain. 

It  is  by  many  believed  that  to  employ  me  to  design 
a building  is  the  shortest  road  to  ruin,  and  when  I have 
been  employed,  it  has  been  under  the  terrors  of  calling 
for  that  knowledge  and  talent  which  could  not  be  had 
elsewhere,  but  which  could  not  possibly  be  dispensed 
with. 

Now  it  happens  very  unluckily  that  the  professions 
of  architecture  and  painting  are  supposed  to  be  of  the 
same  grades  and  require  the  same  sort  of  head  and 

146 


BUILDING  OF  THE  NATIONAL  CAPITOL 


habits,  and  that  as  Stuart,  the  greatest  painter  we  have 
ever  seen,  was  a profligate  and  spendthrift,  the  only 
architect  we  know  may  possibly  be  just  such  another. 
But  I am  sure  that  the  professions,  and  I hope  that 
the  men,  are  widely  different. 

The  architect  indeed  requires  all  the  imagination 
of  the  painter.  The  building  exists  in  his  mind  before 
it  is  sketched  upon  paper,  and  if  the  operation  of  design 
is  the  same  in  other  heads  as  in  mine,  arrangement, 
construction,  and  decoration  are  attained  so  simultane- 
ously that  I seldom  materially  change  the  design  first 
elaborated.  But  when  imagination  has  done  her  duty, 
her  aid  is  no  longer  wanted,  and  to  a moment  of  en- 
thusiasm succeed  months  of  dry  mechanical  labor  in 
drawing  and  the  more  dry  and  tedious  application  to 
it  of  calculations.  When  the  castle  in  the  air  has  been 
made  to  descend  into  the  office,  and  such  constructions 
in  writing  and  drawing  shall  guide  the  hard  hand  and 
iron  tool  of  the  mechanic,  imagination  is  busy  only  to 
distract.  To  execute  such  a building  as  the  Capitol 
without  relaying  a brick  or  altering  the  shape  of  a 
single  piece  of  timber  or  of  stone,  a competent  knowl- 
edge of  eighteen  mechanical  arts  is  necessary,  a toler- 
ably perfect  command  of  every  part  of  mechanical 
science,  and,  above  all,  a very  correct  mastery  of  ac- 
counts. Where  these  are  not  combined,  the  architect 
is  the  slave  of  his  mechanics;  he  is  either  ignorant 
of  or  must  wink  at  their  deceptions  for  fear  of  ex- 

147 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


posing  his  own  ignorance,  and  alteration  and  experi- 
ment constitute  a very  considerable  portion  of  his 
expense. 

If  I should  lay  before  you  the  accounts  of  all  the 
buildings  in  which  I have  been  engaged,  I am  sure  that 
you  would  never  again  pay  a compliment  to  my  imagina- 
tion at  the  expense  of  my  common  understanding.  For 
I could  prove  that  whenever  I have  committed  myself 
upon  an  estimate  I have  never  exceeded  it,  unless  great 
alterations  of  the  design  have  been  made  to  induce 
greater  expense. 

In  the  south  wing  of  the  Capitol  I can  also  assert 
that  no  alterations  whatever  have  been  made  during 
the  progress  of  the  work,  because  from  the  general 
design  to  the  minutest  molding  everything  has  been 
conceived  and  drawn  by  my  own  labor,  and  when  the 
work  was  finished  the  measurements  of  every  part  have 
been  taken  by  me  personally,  the  calculations  made,  the 
prices  determined,  the  bills  made  and  sent  in  my  own 
handwriting  into  the  office  of  the  superintendent.  The 
calculations  of  the  dimensions  of  the  plasterers’  work 
alone  occupied  one  hundred  and  twenty-eight  columns 
of  my  measuring  book. 

But  the  truth  is  that  previous  estimates  have  never, 
but  once,  in  1804,  been  required  of  me,  and  the  re- 
sponsibility of  an  estimate  for  such  a work  as  the 
Capitol  will  never  be  courted  by  me  for  a salary  of 
$1,700  per  annum,  which  for  several  years  did  not  pay 

148 


BUILDING  OF  THE  NATIONAL  CAPITOL 


the  expenditures  of  my  office,  but  left  me  the  honor 
of  presenting  my  labors  to  the  public. 

In  the  course  of  the  debate  I am  informed  I was 
by  some  gentlemen  supposed  to  be  a contractor  to  build 
the  Capitol  for  a limited  sum,  and  that  if  it  had  ex- 
ceeded that  sum  I ought  to  lose  it.  I wish  I had  been 
such  a contractor  at  the  cost  of  the  north  wing.  I 
should  have  put  $60,000  into  my  pocket  instead  of 
being  poorer  than  I was  when  I undertook  the  direction 
of  the  work. 

I might  pass  all  this  over  with  the  proud  but  little 
satisfactory  consolement  of  virtute  mea  mi  involero. 
But  this  will  do  only  for  myself,  not  for  my  wife  and 
children.  That  which  robs  me  of  reputation,  robs  them 
of  bread. 

The  freedom  with  which  I have  written  is  the  best 
evidence  of  my  respect  for  you.  I will  therefore  say 
no  more  but  to  assure  you  of  its  sincerity. 

Yours  most  respectfully. 

Washington,  September  1,  1810. 
The  President  of  the  United  States. 

Sir:  It  is  my  duty  to  take  up  so  much  of  your  time 
as  to  inform  you  of  the  progress  of  the  public  business 
under  my  charge. 

As  the  uncertainty  of  public  employment  increases 
annually,  I have  thought  it  prudent  to  get  some  busi- 
ness independently  of  my  profession,  and  am  going  to 

149 


BaBy, 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


establish  in  connection  with  a few  of  the  most  wealthy 
men  in  Baltimore  a manufactory  of  cotton  stuff,  of  the 
success  of  which  I have  no  doubt.  I shall  thus  escape 
the  calumny  and  abuse  which  it  is  very  foolish  to  re- 
gard, but  which  it  is  not  human  nature  to  entirely 
despise,  and  from  which,  as  neither  you  nor  your  im- 
mediate predecessor  have  escaped,  a public  man,  even 
if  his  importance  be  as  trifling  as  mine,  cannot  expect 
to  remain  exempt. 

With  the  highest  esteem  and  respect,  I am, 

Very  sincerely  your  obd’t  servant. 

Thomas  Jefferson,  Esq., 

Monticello,  Va. 

Dear  Sir:  The  columns  of  the  rotunda  (Senate 
chamber),  sixteen  in  number,  must  be  more  slender 
than  the  Ionic  order  will  admit,  and  ought  not  to  be  of 
a Corinthian  because  the  chamber  itself  is  of  the  Ionic 
order.  I have,  therefore,  composed  a capital  of  leaves 
and  flowers  of  the  tobacco  plant  which  has  an  inter- 
mediate effect  approaching  the  character  of  the  Cor- 
inthian order  and  retaining  the  simplicity  of  the  Attic 
column  of  the  Clepsydra  or  Temple  of  the  Winds. 

Washington,  November  20,  1817. 
The  President  of  the  United  States. 

Sir:  My  situation  as  architect  of  the  Capitol  has 
become  such  as  to  leave  me  no  choice  between  resigna- 

150 


BUILDING  OF  THE  NATIONAL  CAPITOL 


tion  and  the  sacrifice  of  all  self-respect.  Permit  me 
then,  sir,  to  resign  into  your  hands  an  office  in  which 
I fear  I have  been  the  cause  to  you  of  much  vexation 
while  my  only  object  has  been  to  accomplish  your 
wishes.  You  have  known  me  more  than  twenty  years. 
You  have  borne  testimony  to  my  professional  skill — 
and  my  integrity  has  never  been  questioned.  You  will, 
I am  confident,  do  me  justice,  and  in  time  know  that 
never  the  delay  nor  the  expense  of  the  public  works 
are  chargeable  to  me. 

I am  aware  that  much  inconvenience  may  arise 
from  my  retiring  from  my  office  so  suddenly.  But  I 
pledge  myself  to  furnish  drawings  and  instructions  for 
all  the  parts  of  the  works  that  are  in  hand  for  a rea- 
sonable compensation  being  made,  which  my  circum- 
stances do  not  permit  me  to  decline. 

I am,  very  respectfully, 

Your  obdt.  srt. 


13 


Hi 


y 


CHAPTER  VIII 


BY  SEA  TO  NEW  ORLEANS 


T~^\ECEMBER  iy,  1818.  On  board  the  brig 
X / Clio;  Captain  Wynne,  master.  Left  Balti- 

more twenty  minutes  before  one  o’clock,  with 
a strong  northwest  wind,  passed  North  Point  at  quarter- 
past  two  o’clock;  at  three,  off  Magotty,  the  wind 
chopped  round  to  the  southwest,  and  died  away.  Cast 
anchor.  At  sunrise,  the  18th,  the  wind  fresh  from  the 
northwest,  a very  fine  day,  fair  and  fresh  wind.  Got 
the  cabin  into  order,  and  arranged  our  domestic  hours 
of  breakfast,  dinner,  and  supper. 

December  igth,  about  i A.  M.  Cast  anchor  off 
Old  Point  Comfort,  to  wait  for  a boat  to  take  off  the 
pilot.  At  sunrise  weighed  anchor,  all  hands  sick. 

Tuesday , the  2 2d,  about  2 A.  M.  A perfect  calm. 
The  wind  then  shifted  to  the  southwest,  remarkably 
smooth  sea  without  swell.  At  eight  a very  large  shoal 
of  porpoises  played  for  an  hour  about  the  ship. 

I have  often  heard  that  a shoal  of  porpoises  round 
a ship  indicates  an  approaching  gale,  and  their  direc- 
tion to  the  point  toward  which  they  leave  the  ship  to 

152 


BY  SEA  TO  NEW  ORLEANS 


be  that  from  which  the  storm  will  blow.  In  this  in- 
stance the  case  was  certainly  so,  for  toward  night  the 
violence  of  the  wind  increased  to  a gale. 

Thursday,  the  24th.  The  wind  during  the  night 
had  got  round  to  the  north.  The  sea  still  as  high  as 
ever  and  wind  not  abated,  but  being  quite  favorable, 
the  brig  was  put  before  it,  and  scudded  under  close 
reefed  maintopsail  and  close  reefed  foresail.  Got  on 
deck  and  sat  on  the  taffrail,  from  whence  the  motion 
of  the  brig  through  the  most  awful  sea  I ever  be- 
held or  imagined,  at  the  rate  of  nine  or  ten  knots, 
appeared  the  most  wTonderful  effect  of  human  art,  and 
indeed  of  human  courage,  that  can  be  imagined.  The 
vessel  is  a most  admirable  sea  boat,  and  skips  over 
these  mountainous  waves  without  appearing  to  labor  in 
the  least.  Several  birds,  of  a species  unknown  to  any- 
one on  board,  were  flying  near  the  water  at  no  great 
distance  from  the  ship,  during  the  great  part  of  the 
morning;  the  outer  edge  of  the  wing  dark  brown, 
pennon  light  ash  color,  back  dark  brown ; could  not  dis- 
tinguish the  legs  and  bill. 


A CONVERSATION  AT  SEA 


Ouestion. 
A nswer. 
Question. 
Answer. 
Question. 


Hooooooagh ! 
Hooooooooagh ! 

Whence  came  ye? 
From  Stoningtown. 
Where’s  that? 


153 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


Answer.  You’re  a fine  fello\y  for  a captain  not  to 
know  where  Stoningtown  is. 

Question.  {Aside.  Damn  your  Yankee  soul!) 
Where  are  you  bound? 

Answer.  To  Savannah,  if  ye  know  where  that  is. 

Question.  What  have  you  in? 

Answer.  Only  a few  notions. 

Question.  What’s  your  longitude? 

Answer.  Right  enough.  Tebadiah,  make  sail, 
up  helm. 

Friday,  the  25th , Christmas  day.  Wind  strong 
from  the  N.N.W.  Got  up  more  sail.  All  the  passen- 
gers are  dressed  in  honor  of  the  day.  The  weather  is 
now  delightful,  wind  gentle,  and,  as  I judge  from  my 
feelings,  temperature  about  seventy  degrees.  Our  party 
is  so  good-humored,  from  the  captain  to  the  second 
mate,  that  the  day  was  spent  very  pleasantly,  and  the 
passengers  remained  on  deck  until  eleven  o’clock  at 
night.  A heavy  dew  reminded  us  of  the  necessity  of 
retiring. 

Saturday,  the  26th.  A magnificent  sunset.  The 
sky  of  Italy  is  deservedly  celebrated.  The  singularity 
and  brilliancy  of  this  sky  are  not  altogether  peculiar  to 
Italy,  for  in  all  latitudes,  near  to  or  upon  the  ocean,  a 
similar  sky  prevails.  It  is  a sky  inimitable  by  the 
pencil. 

Sunday,  the  27th.  A general  shave  and  clean  shirts. 

154 


CONVERSATION  AT  SEA. 


BY  SEA  TO  NEW  ORLEANS 


The  captain’s  birthday;  celebrated  by  hot  rolls  at 
breakfast,  a hog  killed,  apple  pies  for  dinner,  and  a 
great  variety  of  similar  demonstrations  of  satisfaction. 
All  these  things  are  important  in  a sea  voyage,  and 
scatter  flowers  over  the  monotonous  surface  of  so  barren 
an  existence. 

The  conversation  is  as  multifarious  as  the  habits 
and  professions  of  the  company — slave  dealers,  steam- 
boats, tobacco,  sea  voyages,  New  Orleans  and  its  man- 
ners, inhabitants,  police,  Mississippi,  shipbuilding,  etc. 
Mr.  W.  is  the  least  informed  of  the  company.  He 
appears  to  be  a sort  of  English  agent,  a most  good- 
humored  creature,  less  opinionated  than  could  be  ex- 
pected from  his  confined  education  and  knowledge. 
He  pointedly  dislikes  the  government  of  his  country, 
and  sees  clearly  enough  in  what  particulars  America 
possesses  superior  advantages,  both  for  the  acquisition 
of  wealth  and  on  account  of  more  generally  diffused 
knowledge  among  the  mass  of  the  people.  On  this 
subject  he  one  day  discoursed  very  largely,  and  gave 
many  instances  within  his  own  knowledge  of  the  igno- 
rance of  the  lower  orders  of  the  English  respecting 
America  and  other  foreign  countries.  After  all  were 
in  their  berths,  M.  and  he  continued  their  conversations 
from  their  beds  across  the  cabin.  M.,  who  as  a sailor 
has  been  several  times  in  the  East  Indies  and  twice  in 
China,  was  giving  an  account  of  the  peculiar  customs 
of  the  Chinese,  and  the  difficulty  of  obtaining  admission 

155 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


into  their  cities.  Mr.  W.  observed  that  he  should,  of 
all  things,  like  to  be  admitted  to  see  the  buildings  of 
the  cities  of  China ; that  he  knew  that  foreigners  could 
get  into  the  suburbs  of  the  city  of  China,  which  he 
believed  was  called  Canton,  but  not  into  the  city  itself. 
It  was  with  great  difficulty,  and  much  to  the  entertain- 
ment of  his  silent  auditors,  that  M.  explained  to  him 
that  China  is  not  a city  but  an  extensive  empire,  of 
which  Canton  is  a trading  port,  into  the  suburbs  of 
which  only  foreigners  could  have  access.  W.  persisted, 
and  M.  explained  and  exemplified  for  an  hour,  but  I 
believe  without  convincing  W.  that  China  is  not  a 
walled  town,  for  he  suddenly  recollected  to  have  some- 
where heard  of  the  wall  of  China,  and  nobody  could 
be  so  absurd  as  to  believe  that  a country  could  be 
walled. 

In  truth,  no  greater  proof  of  the  want  of  a knowl- 
edge of  the  true  state  of  foreign  countries  among  the 
English  in  general  could  be  adduced  than  this  very 
conversation  with  W.,  unless  it  were  the  conduct  of  the 
English  minister  and  of  the  generals  during  the  late 
war. 

Monday,  28th.  I got  up  at  the  first  dawn,  and, 
remaining  on  deck  till  the  sunrise,  contemplated  the 
magnificent  star-spangled  heavens  with  feelings  that 
are  not  to  be  excited  by  any  theological  discussion,  and 
which,  founded  on  an  exhibition  of  the  power  and 
benevolence  of  God  that  always  exists  and  is  not  in  the 

156 


BY  SEA  TO  NEW  ORLEANS 


remotest  degree  dependent  on  opinion,  must  leave  a 
permanent,  habitual,  and  highly  devotional  impression 
on  the  heart.  The  gradual  gilding  of  light  clouds  along 
the  horizon  preceded  the  glorious  rise  of  the  sun  from 
the  ocean.  The  increased  knowledge  of  the  construc- 
tion of  our  solar  system,  of  the  general  laws  that  govern 
the  motion  to  the  heavenly  bodies,  will  forever  prevent 
the  revival  of  a religion  in  which  the  sun  is  considered 
as  the  living  God  of  the  world,  to  be  adored  as  such, 
and  propitiated  by  prayers  and  offerings,  but  surely 
no  error  deserves  more  indulgence,  or  is  more  natural, 
than  the  adoration  of  this  glorious  luminary  as  the  God 
of  our  life  and  of  our  enjoyments.  A trace  of  this 
idea  remains  in  all  the  churches  of  Christendom  ex- 
cepting those  having  their  origin  more  or  less  in  the 
Reformation  by  Calvin  and  his  followers.  The  situa- 
tion of  Catholic,  Greek,  and  Church  of  England,  as 
well  as  Lutheran  altars,  in  the  east  of  the  church,  and 
the  consequent  direction  of  the  faces  of  worshipers 
to  that  point,  is  a vestige  of  the  original  religion  of  all 
uncivilized  nations. 

One  of  our  black  passengers,  Tom,  a negro  belong- 
ing to  the  notorious  slave  dealer  Anderson,  died  this 
morning.  He  had  been,  with  another,  who  came  also 
sick  aboard,  sometime  before  his  being  sent  off,  in  jail. 
He  was  most  faithfully  attended  by  our  most  humane 
captain  and  Dr.  Day,  and  everything  done  for  his 
recovery  that  the  confined  room  in  the  vessel  permitted. 

H7 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


He  had  a mother  and  sisters  on  board,  who  treated  him 
with  very  little  kindness,  and  he  would  probably  have 
recovered  had  they  taken  better  care  of  him.  As  soon 
as  we  were  off  the  bank,  about  3 P.  M.,  his  body  was 
committed  to  the  sea.  I read  the  Episcopal  burial 
service  on  the  occasion,  every  person  on  board  attend- 
ing. This  man  had  cost  Anderson  $800  and  his  pas- 
sage $30  more.  He  was  a light  mulatto  and  was  ex- 
pected to  fetch  $1,000  to  $1,200  in  Louisiana. 

It  appears  to  me,  whatever  may  be  said  of  the  diffi- 
culty of  suppressing  the  internal  slave  trade  without 
infringing  upon  the  rights  of  private  property,  as  long 
as  these  men  are  considered  as  articles  of  legal  traffic, 
that  it  certainly  ought  not  to  be  aided  by  the  Govern- 
ment or  its  officers.  But  this  is  certainly  done,  while 
the  public  jail  is  permitted  to  be  a place  of  deposit  for 
this  sort  of  goods  until  they  can  be  shipped.  There 
is  another  man  on  board,  half  Indian,  half  negro,  who 
came  out  of  the  same  depot,  the  public  jail  of  Balti- 
more, the  same  time  with  Tom,  also  sick — and,  what 
is  more  noisome  on  board,  absolutely  eaten  up  with 
vermin.  The  only  rags  he  possesses  are  those  that 
were  on  his  back  on  his  being  shipped.  Captain 
Wynne,  whose  humanity  to  these  poor  wretches  has 
been  very  active,  and  who  has  personally  attended 
their  wants,  had  him  stripped  and  wrapped  up  in  a 
blanket;  his  rags  then  were  towed  overboard,  but  I 
doubt  whether  the  vermin  would  be  expelled  from  them. 

158 


BY  SEA  TO  NEW  ORLEANS 


The  other  colored  people  on  board,  and  who  are  well 
clad  and  seem  very  respectable  and  orderly  in  their 
way,  will  neither  approach  nor  assist  this  poor  wretch, 
and  had  it  not  been  for  the  captain’s  attention,  he 
would  have  starved,  for  they  gave  him  nothing  to  eat 
for  two  days. 

January  /,  i8ig.  This  being  New  Year’s,  an 
extraordinary  exertion  was  made  to  furnish  our  dinner 
table,  and  a boiled  turkey  marked  the  day,  which,  like 
all  the  rest,  was  spent  in  great  good  humor. 

January  g , i8ig.  At  daylight  the  wind,  though 
very  light,  was  favorable.  The  fog  continued.  We 
soon  got  under  way  and  proceeded  up  the  river,  first 
through  the  wide  bay  from  which  the  several  passes, 
south  and  southwest,  find  their  way  into  the  Gulf  of 
Mexico,  then  through  a margin  of  reeds  on  both  sides 
of  the  river  about  a mile  wide.  Presently  large  trees 
present  themselves,  thinly  scattered  on  the  west  bank 
upon  a narrow  margin  of  more  elevated  ground.  This 
growth  continued  to  Fort  Plaquemine  or  Fort  St. 
Phillip,  bombarded  by  the  British  during  the  late  war 
and  successfully  defended  by  Colonel  Overton. 

After  passing  Plaquemine,  low  and  mean  houses, 
the  residences  of  planters,  appear  occasionally  on  both 
sides  of  the  river.  Orange  trees  in  the  open  air  formed 
a short  vista  on  the  west  bank,  the  first  I had  seen. 

It  is  not  easy  to  assign  a cause  for  the  present 
course  of  the  Mississippi,  although  there  is  certainly 

159 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


an  invincible  necessity  in  the  physical  circumstances 
that  belong  to  this  mighty  stream,  which  confines  it  to 
its  present  bed  and  forbids  it  to  form  any  other. 

The  planters  in  the  lower  parts  of  the  river  are 
cultivators  of  rice.  A large  capital  is  required  for  the 
cultivation  of  sugar  and  coffee.  The  sugar  plantations 
do  not  begin  until  within  fifty  miles  of  New  Orleans. 
The  first  on  a large  scale  is  Johnson’s,  formerly  at  the 
Balize,  now  a very  rich  man,  as  his  solid  and  exten- 
sive sugar  works  prove.  It  has  a large  house  of  two 
stories  of  brick,  with  a portico  on  each  front.  All  the 
other  houses  which  I observed  were  of  one  story,  low, 
and  having  a portico  or  piazza  either  all  round,  which 
is  the  old  French  style  of  building,  or  on  each  front. 
There  are  generally  some  orange  trees  growing  about 
every  house,  sometimes  forming  a vista  from  the  road 
to  the  door,  sometimes  planted  in  quincunx  like  an  or- 
chard. The  larger  plantations  have  a regular  street 
of  negro  houses  near  the  dwelling,  many  of  them  look- 
ing commodious  and  comfortable,  with  a belfry  in  the 
center  to  call  the  negroes  to  work.  I saw  an  overseer 
directing  the  repair  of  the  levee,  with  a long  whip  in 
his  hand.  The  creole  French  have  the  reputation  of 
working  their  slaves  very  hard  and  feeding  them  very 
badly;  the  Americans  are  said  to  treat  and  feed  them 
well. 

On  arriving  at  New  Orleans  in  the  morning,  a 
sound  more  strange  than  any  that  is  heard  anywhere 

160 


STORM  IN  THE  GULF,  EN  ROUTE  TO  NEW  ORLEANS. 


BY  SEA  TO  NEW  ORLEANS 


else  in  the  world  astonishes  a stranger.  It  is  a most 
incessant,  loud,  rapid,  and  various  gabble  of  tongues  of 
all  tones  that  were  ever  heard  at  Babel.  It  is  more  to 
be  compared  with  the  sounds  that  issue  from  an  exten- 
sive marsh,  the  residence  of  a million  or  two  of  frogs, 
from  bullfrogs  up  to  whistlers,  than  to  anything  else. 
It  proceeded  from  the  market  and  levee,  a point  to 
which  we  had  cast  anchor,  and  which,  before  we  went 
ashore,  was  in  a moment,  by  the  sudden  disappearance 
of  the  fog,  laid  open  to  our  view. 

New  Orleans  has,  at  first  sight,  a very  imposing 
and  handsome  appearance,  beyond  any  other  city  in  the 
United  States  in  which  I have  yet  been.  The  strange 
and  loud  noise  heard  through  the  fog,  on  board  the 
Clio,  proceeding  from  the  voices  of  the  market  people 
and  their  customers,  was  not  more  extraordinary  than 
the  appearance  of  these  noisy  folk  when  the  fog  cleared 
away  and  we  landed.  Everything  had  an  odd  look. 
For  twenty-five  years  I have  been  a traveler  only  be- 
tween New  York  and  Richmond,  and  I confess  that  I 
felt  myself  in  some  degree  again  a cockney,  for  it  was 
impossible  not  to  stare  at  a sight  wholly  new  even  to 
one  who  has  traveled  much  in  Europe  and  America. 

The  first  remarkable  appearance  was  that  of  the 
market  boats,  differing  in  form  and  equipment  from 
anything  that  floats  on  the  Atlantic  side  of  our  coun- 
try. We  landed  among  the  queer  boats,  some  of  which 
carried  the  tricolored  flag  of  Napoleon,  at  the  foot 

1 6 1 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATRORE 

of  a wooden  flight  of  steps  opposite  to  the  center 
of  the  public  square,  which  were  badly  fixed  to  the 
ragged  bank.  On  the  upper  step  of  the  flight  sat  a 
couple  of  Choctaw  Indian  women  and  a stark  naked 
Indian  girl.  At  the  top  of  the  flight  we  arrived  on  the 
levee  extending  along  the  front  of  the  city.  It  is  a 
wide  bank  of  earth,  level  on  the  top  to  the  width  of 
perhaps  fifty  feet,  and  then  sloping  gradually  in  a very 
easy  descent  to  the  footway  or  banquet  at  the  houses, 
a distance  of  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  to  two  hundred 
feet  from  the  edge  of  the  levee.  This  footway  is  about 
five  feet  below  the  level  of  the  levee,  of  course  four  feet 
below  the  surface  of  the  water  in  the  river  at  the  time 
of  the  inundation,  which  rises  to  within  one  foot,  some- 
times less,  at  the  top  of  the  levee.  Along  the  levee,  as 
far  as  the  eye  could  reach  to  the  west,  and  to  the 
market  house  to  the  east,  were  ranged  two  rows  of 
market  people,  some  having  stalls  or  tables  with  a 
tilt  or  awning  of  canvas,  but  the  majority  having 
their  wares  lying  on  the  ground,  perhaps  on  a piece  of 
canvas  or  a parcel  of  palmetto  leaves.  The  articles 
to  be  sold  were  not  more  various  than  the  sellers. 
White  men  and  women,  and  of  all  hues  of  brown,  and 
of  all  classes  of  faces,  from  round  Yankees  to  grizzly 
and  lean  Spaniards,  black  negroes  and  negresses,  filthy 
Indians  half  naked,  mulattoes  curly  and  straight- 
haired, quadroons  of  all  shades,  long  haired  and  friz- 
zled, women  dressed  in  the  most  flaring  yellow  and 

162 


BY  SEA  TO  NEW  ORLEANS 


scarlet  gowns,  the  men  capped  and  hatted.  Their  wares 
consisted  of  as  many  kinds  as  their  faces.  Innumerable 
wild  ducks,  oysters,  poultry  of  all  kinds,  fish,  bananas, 
piles  of  oranges,  sugarcane,  sweet  and  Irish  potatoes, 
corn  in  the  ear  and  husked,  apples,  carrots,  and  all  sorts 
of  other  roots,  eggs,  trinkets,  tinware,  dry  goods,  in 
fact  of  more  and  odder  things  to  be  sold  in  that  man- 
ner and  place  than  I can  enumerate.  The  market  was 
full  of  wretched  beef  and  other  butcher’s-meat,  and 
some  excellent  and  large  fish.  I cannot  suppose  that 
my  eye  took  in  less  than  five  hundred  sellers  and  buyers, 
all  of  whom  appeared  to  strain  their  voices  to  exceed 
each  other  in  loudness.  A little  farther  along  the  levee, 
on  the  margin  of  a heap  of  bricks,  was  a bookseller, 
whose  stock  of  books,  English  and  French,  cut  no  mean 
appearance.  Among  others,  there  was  a well-bound 
collection  of  pamphlets  printed  during  the  American 
war,  forming  ten  octavo  volumes,  which  I must  get  my 
friend  Robertson  of  Congress,  if  here,  to  buy. 

I was  so  amused  by  the  market  that  I spent  half 
an  hour  or  more  in  it,  walking  from  one  end  of  the 
levee  to  the  other,  as  far  as  it  was  occupied  by  the 
market  people. 

The  public  square,  which  is  open  to  the  river,  has 
an  admirable  general  effect,  and  is  infinitely  superior 
to  anything  in  our  Atlantic  cities  as  a water  view  of 
the  city.  The  whole  of  the  wide  parallel  to  the  river 
is  occupied  by  the  cathedral  in  the  center,  and  by  two 

1 63 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


symmetrical  buildings  on  each  side.  That  to  the  west 
is  called  the  Principal,  and  contains  the  public  offices 
and  council  chamber  of  the  city.  That  on  the  east  is 
called  the  Presbytery,  being  the  property  of  the  church. 
It  is  divided  into  seven  stores,  with  dwellings  above, 
which  are  rented  and  produce  a large  revenue. 

At  the  southwest  corner  of  the  square  is  a building 
of  excellent  effect.  The  lower  story  and  entresol  are 
rented  by  storekeepers;  the  upper  story  is  a hotel, 
Tremoulet’s,  at  which  I have  taken  up  my  quarters. 
The  rest,  to  the  west  side  of  the  square  and  the  whole 
of  the  east  side,  is  built  in  very  mean  stores,  covered 
with  most  villainous  roofs  of  tiles,  partly  white,  partly 
red  and  black,  with  narrow  galleries  in  the  second  story, 
the  posts  of  which  are  mere  unpainted  sticks,  but  they 
let  at  an  enormous  rent.  The  square  itself  is  neglected, 
the  fence  is  ragged,  and  in  many  places  open.  Part  of 
it  is  let  for  a depot  of  firewood,  paving  stones  are 
heaped  up  in  it,  and  along  the  whole  of  the  side  next 
to  the  river  is  a row  of  mean  booths  in  which  dry  goods 
are  sold  by  yellow,  black,  and  white  women,  who  dis- 
pose, I am  told,  of  incredible  quantities  of  slops  and 
other  articles  fit  for  sailors  and  boatmen,  and  those 
sort  of  customers.  Thus  a square  which  might  be  made 
the  handsomest  in  America  is  rather  a nuisance  than 
otherwise. 

Tremoulet,  who  keeps  this  house,  was,  I am  told, 
formerly  a cook,  an  excellent  station  from  which  to 

164 


BY  SEA  TO  NEW  ORLEANS 

rise  to  the  dignity  of  the  master  of  a large  hotel.  He 
has  lived  here  under  the  Spanish,  French,  and  Ameri- 
can governments,  and  prefers  the  former.  He  has 
lost  three  large  fortunes  made  in  this  place  by  his 
hotels,  and  is  now  poor  and  old.  He  and  Madame 
Tremoulet,  however,  are  the  most  vigorous  and  cheerful 
and  generous  old  people  imaginable.  The  causes  of 
Tremoulet’s  failures  have  been  the  bank  and  his  gen- 
erous disposition.  When  the  American  Government 
took  possession,  the  bank  soon  offered  facilities  to 
commerce  that  had  not  before  existed.  Tremoulet,  al- 
though he  did  not  meddle  with  commerce,  aided  those 
who  did  by  indorsement.  Nothing,  to  a man  unused 
to  the  terrible  consequences  of  becoming  security  for 
others  with  no  other  counter  security  than  their  honesty 
or  success,  seems  so  pleasant  as  to  be  able  to  assist  a 
friend,  and  perhaps  make  his  fortune,  by  writing  his 
name  across  the  back  of  a slip  of  paper.  That  caution 
is  indeed  lulled  to  sleep  which  would  be  awake  if  the 
security  were  given  in  the  shape  of  a bond  or  lien  upon 
an  estate,  because  a man  who  indorses  a note  for  an- 
other, while  he  himself  does  not  require  the  aid  of  a 
bank,  naturally  conceives  that  the  loss  of  credit  attend- 
ing the  nonpayment  of  the  note  by  the  drawer  is  a 
coercion  operating  in  his  favor,  and  tends  to  render 
him  more  certain  that  he  will  not  be  called  upon  to 
pay  it,  but  that  the  drawer  will  make  any  sacrifices 
rather  than  have  the  note  protested. 

165 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 

Tremoulet,  from  having  built  and  owned  the  two 
largest  hotels  in  the  city,  is  now  the  tenant  of  Madame 
Castillion,  to  whom  the  stores  in  the  public  square  be- 
long. His  house  is  by  far  the  filthiest  which  I have 
ever  inhabited,  but  my  room  is  kept  clean  by  an  excel- 
lent servant  whom  I have  bribed  to  attend  me  partic- 
ularly. The  growing  Americanism  of  this  city  is 
strongly  evident  by  the  circumstance  that  Tremoulet’s 
is  the  only  French  boarding  house  in  the  city,  that  it  is 
unfashionable,  and  when  he  removes,  for  he  is  going  to 
the  Havana,  there  will  be  no  other  open.  My  object 
in  preferring  this  house  is  to  reacquire  a facility  in 
speaking  French,  a facility  which  I have  lost  by  thirty 
years’  disuse  of  that  language.  Whether  my  object 
will  be  answered  I am  doubtful,  for  the  company  is 
exceedingly  mixed  and  daily  changing,  and  some  cour- 
age is  required  to  venture  to  converse  with  strangers 
in  a language  imperfectly  spoken.  Another  obstacle 
exists  in  the  excessive  rapidity  with  which  they  speak, 
and  a greater,  in  their  all  speaking  at  once,  and  ex- 
cessively loud.  Some,  among  them  Tremoulet  himself, 
occasionally  strike  up  a song,  in  which  others  join;  in 
fact  the  noise  and  gabble  is  so  incessant  that  Tremoulet, 
seeing  me  look  with  astonishment  and  a smile  at  the 
vociferous  party,  thought  some  sort  of  an  apology 
necessary,  and  said : “ Voyez  vous,  nous  autres  Fran- 
qais  sont  un  peu  bruyansF  It  must,  indeed,  be  ac- 
knowledged that  the  party  of  this  house  is  not  ex- 

166 


BY  SEA  TO  NEW  ORLEANS 


actly  that  which  would  constitute  the  best  society 
anywhere : storekeepers,  planters,  and  some  of  Lalle- 
mand’s  ruined  party  from  the  Trinity  River.  But 
they  are  all  decent  men,  and  two  or  three  of  them 
seem  to  be  men  of  excellent  information  and  polished 
manners. 

The  construction  of  the  house,  and  of  two  or  three 
others  which  I have  seen,  is  entirely  French.  A lower 
story,  divided  into  and  let  as  stores,  and  an  entresol 
in  which  the  shopkeepers  live,  or  which  is  let  to  other 
families;  then  a handsome  range  of  apartments  sur- 
rounding a court  of  thirty  by  twenty-four  feet.  The 
appearance  externally  of  the  house  is  very  good,  and 
if  the  whole  square  were  thus  built  up  it  would  be  one 
of  the  handsomest  in  any  country. 

In  the  interior,  the  court  gives  light  to  all  the 
stories,  but  is  reserved  only  for  the  use  of  the  principal 
story  and  is  entered  by  a porte-cochere.  Part  of  the 
entresol  is  also  appropriated  to  the  use  of  the  hotel, 
which  thus  becomes  very  roomy  and  commodious. 
The  proportions  of  this  are  not  correct,  the  house 
being  longer  from  north  to  south  than  from  east  to 
west,  but  the  subdivision  is  correct. 

I asked  Tremoulet  whether,  as  his  house  is  much 
frequented,  he  could  not  find  it  to  his  interest  to  re- 
main here  where  he  is  known  and  respected,  and  where 
in  the  same  line  he  had  already  made  two  fortunes. 
He  answered  with  a shrug,  “ Chacun  n’aime  point  ce 
14  167 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


Gouvcrncment  ” and  then  told  me  a romantic  story 
that  must  for  the  present  be  deferred,  but  which  proves 
that  gratitude  has  not  entirely  disappeared  from  the 
surface  of  the  earth,  and  that  he  will  probably  succeed 
better  in  Cuba. 


1 68 


CHAPTER  IX 


NEW  ORLEANS  AND  ITS  PEOPLE 

WHAT  is  the  state  of  society  in  New  Orleans? 

is  one  of  many  questions  which  I am  re- 
quired to  answer  by  a friend,  who  seems 
not  to  be  aware  that  this  question  is  equivalent  to  that  of 
Shakespeare’s  Polonius.  He  might  as  well  ask:  What 
is  the  shape  of  a cloud?  The  state  of  society  at  any 
time  here  is  puzzling.  There  are,  in  fact,  three  societies 
here — first  the  French,  second  the  American,  and  third 
the  mixed.  The  French  side  is  not  exactly  what  it  was 
at  the  change  of  government,  and  the  American  is  not 
strictly  what  it  is  in  the  Atlantic  cities.  The  oppor- 
tunity of  growing  rich  by  more  active,  extensive,  and 
intelligent  modes  of  agriculture  and  commerce  has 
diminished  the  hospitality,  destroyed  the  leisure,  and 
added  more  selfishness  to  the  character  of  the  creoles. 
The  Americans,  coming  hither  to  make  money  and 
considering  their  residence  as  temporary,  are  doubly 
active  in  availing  themselves  of  the  enlarged  oppor- 
tunities of  becoming  wealthy  which  the  place  offers. 
On  the  whole,  the  state  of  society  is  similar  to  that  of 

169 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


every  city  rapidly  rising  into  wealth,  and  doing  so 
much,  and  such  fast  increasing  business,  that  no  man 
can  be  said  to  have  a moment’s  leisure.  Their  business 
is  to  make  money.  They  are  in  an  eternal  bustle. 
Their  limbs,  their  heads,  and  their  hearts  move  to  that 
sole  object.  Cotton  and  tobacco,  buying  and  selling, 
and  all  the  rest  of  the  occupation  of  a money-making 
community,  fill  their  time  and  give  the  habit  of  their 
minds.  The  post  which  comes  in  and  goes  out  three 
times  a week  renders  those  days,  more  than  the  others, 
days  of  oppressive  exertion.  I have  been  received  with 
great  hospitality,  have  dined  out  almost  every  day,  but 
the  time  of  a late  dinner  and  a short  sitting  after  it 
have  been  the  only  periods  during  which  I could  make 
any  acquaintance  with  the  gentlemen  of  the  place.  As 
it  is  now  the  Carnival,  every  evening  is  closed  with  a 
ball,  or  a play,  or  a concert.  I have  been  to  two  of 
each. 

To  entitle  a stranger  to  describe  the  character  of 
a society,  more  is  required  than  to  have  looked  at  it 
superficially,  and  through  the  medium  of  habits  ac- 
quired elsewhere.  More  than  a superficial  use  of  the 
senses  is  required  to  ascertain  facts  of  which  the  senses 
are  the  only  judges.  The  great  fault  of  travelers,  I 
was  going  to  say,  especially  of  English  travelers — be- 
cause we  Americans  have  suffered  most  by  the  false 
accounts  of  our  country — is  to  impose  first  impressions 
upon  themselves  and  the  public  for  the  actual  states 

17° 


NEW  ORLEANS  AND  ITS  PEOPLE 


of  things.  To  determine  upon  the  relative  moral  or 
political  character  of  a community  requires  more  time, 
more  talent,  and  a more  philosophical  investigation  of 
the  history  of  its  habits,  and  of  those  causes  of  them 
over  which  no  control  can  be  exercised,  than  traveling 
bookmakers  possess  or  can  command. 

It  would  therefore  be  very  impertinent  in  me,  after 
ten  days’  residence  only,  to  call  anything  which  I may 
put  into  these  brochures  by  a name  more  decided  than 
my  impressions  respecting  New  Orleans. 

My  impressions,  then,  as  to  the  surface  of  female 
society,  are  that  there  are  collected  in  New  Orleans  at 
a ball,  many  women,  below  the  age  of  twenty-four  or 
twenty-five,  of  more  correct  and  beautiful  features,  and 
with  faces  and  figures  more  fit  for  the  sculptor,  than  I 
ever  recollect  to  have  seen  together  elsewhere  in  the 
same  number.  A few  of  them  are  perfect,  and  a great 
majority  are  far  above  the  mere  agreeable.  I have  said 
faces  for  the  sculptor,  not  altogether  for  the  painter, 
for  the  lilies  have  banished  the  roses.  The  Anglican 
slang  of  a painted  French  woman  does  not  apply  here. 
A few  American  ladies,  not  long  resident  here,  had  rosy 
cheeks,  but  very  few.  The  French  creoles  are  univer- 
sally of  healthy  color,  fair,  but  the  cheeks  are  of  the 
color  of  the  forehead.  At  a bal  pare  the  number  of 
brunettes  was  small,  and  my  attention  being  alive  to  the 
subject,  I could  not  see  one  face  that  had  the  slightest 
tinge  of  rouge.  There  was  a face  and  a head,  the  beau- 

171 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


tiful  hair  of  which  was  decorated  with  a single  white 
rose,  surmounting  a figure  exquisitely  formed  and  mov- 
ing with  perfect  grace,  belonging  to  some  young  lady 
apparently  of  eighteen,  whom  I am  glad  I do  not  know, 
but  which  was  as  perfect  in  all  respects  as  anything  I 
have  ever  seen  in  or  out  of  marble. 

The  dancing  of  the  ladies  was  what  is  to  be  ex- 
pected of  French  women;  that  of  the  gentleman,  what 
Lord  Chesterfield  would  have  called,  too  good  for 
gentlemen.  I hope  and  believe  that  we  Americans 
have"  qualities  which  make  up  for  our  deficiency  in 
dancing,  a deficiency  which  marked  those  young  Ameri- 
cans that  were  upon  the  floor. 

I have  never  been  in  a public  assembly  altogether 
better  conducted.  No  confusion,  no  embarrassment  as 
to  the  sets  having,  in  their  turn,  a right  to  occupy  the 
floor,  no  bustle  of  managers,  no  obtrusive  solicitors  of 
public  attention. 

Altogether  the  impression  was  highly  favorable. 
The  only  nuisance  was  a tall,  ill-dressed  black  in  the 
music  gallery,  who  played  the  tambourine  standing  up, 
and  in  a forced  and  vile  voice  called  the  figures  as  they 
changed. 

The  French  population  in  Louisiana  is  said  to  be 
only  20,000,  in  the  city  not  above  5,000  or  6,000. 
The  increase  is  of  Americans.  Some  French  have  come 
hither  since  the  return  of  the  Bourbons,  but  they  did  not 
find  themselves  at  home;  some  joined  General  Lalle- 

172 


TREMOULET-S  HOTEL,  NEW  ORLEANS. 


NEW  ORLEANS  AND  ITS  PEOPLE 


mand  in  his  settlement  on  Trinity  River,  a few  re- 
mained so  as  sensibly  to  increase  the  French  population. 
The  accession,  if  worth  mentioning,  did  not  exceed  the 
emigration  which  has  taken  place  of  those  who  did  not 
like  the  American  Government,  or  had  amassed  for- 
tunes and  have  returned  to  France  or  settled  in  the  West 
Indian  islands.  Since  the  breaking  of  Lallemand’s 
colony,  a few  have  returned  to  New  Orleans,  but  so 
few  that  they  are  not  a perceptible  quantity,  even  in 
the  comparatively  small  French  community. 

On  the  other  hand,  Americans  are  pouring  in  daily, 
not  in  families,  but  in  large  bodies.  In  a few  years, 
therefore,  this  will  be  an  American  town.  What  is 
good  and  bad  in  the  French  manners  and  opinions  must 
give  way,  and  the  American  notions  of  right  and  wrong, 
of  convenience  and  inconvenience,  will  take  their  place. 

When  this  period  arrives,  it  will  be  folly  to  say 
that  they  are  better  or  worse  than  they  now  are.  They 
will  be  changed,  but  they  will  be  changed  into  that 
which  is  more  agreeable  to  the  new  population  than 
what  now  exists.  But  a man  who  fancies  that  he  has 
seen  the  world  on  more  sides  than  one  cannot  help 
wishing  that  a mean,  an  average  character,  of  society 
may  grow  out  of  the  intermixture  of  the  French  and 
American  manners. 

Such  a consummation  is,  perhaps,  to  be  more  de- 
voutly wished  than  hoped  for.  There  is  a lady,  and 
I am  told  a leading  one  among  the  Americans,  who 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


can  speak  French  well,  but  is  determined  never  to  con- 
descend to  speak  to  the  French  ladies  in  their  language, 
although  in  New  York  she  prided  herself  on  her  know- 
ing that  language.  Many  of  the  leading  gentlemen, 
when  not  talking  of  tobacco  or  cotton,  find  it  very 
amusing  to  abuse  and  ridicule  French  morals,  French 
manners,  and  French  houses.  In  truth,  there  is  evi- 
dently growing  up  a party  spirit,  which  in  time  wi.ll 
give  success  to  the  views  of  the  Americans,  and  every- 
thing French  will  in  time  disappear.  Even  the  miser- 
able patois  of  the  creoles  will  be  heard  only  in  the 
cypress  swamps. 

At  present  the  most  prominent,  and,  to  the  Ameri- 
cans, the  most  offensive  feature  of  French  habits  is  the 
manner  in  which  they  spend  Sunday.  For  about  ten 
years  the  recoil  of  the  French  revolutionary  principles 
has  made  religious  profession  fashionable,  especially 
in  England,  from  whence  our  American  public  mind 
always,  more  or  less,  receives  its  tone.  The  Holy 
Alliance  of  Greek,  Roman,  Lutheran,  and  Calvinistic 
sovereigns,  who  before  the  battle  of  Waterloo  most 
piously  consigned  each  other,  as  far  as  religious  belief 
went,  to  eternal  damnation,  has  given  authority  of  high 
effect  to  this  fashion.  For  my  part,  the  effect  of  this 
impious  farce  upon  my  own  mind  is  to  make  me  retire 
with  the  more  humility  into  my  own  heart  and  seek 
there  a temple  unprofaned  by  external  dictation.  Sun- 
day in  New  Orleans  is  distinguished  only,  first,  by  the 

174 


NEW  ORLEANS  AND  ITS  PEOPLE 


flags  that  are  hoisted  on  all  the  ships;  second,  by  the 
attendance  at  church  (the  cathedral)  of  all  the  beau- 
tiful girls  in  the  place,  and  of  two  or  three  hundred 
quadroons,  negroes,  and  mulattoes,  and  perhaps  of  one 
hundred  white  males  to  hear  high  mass,  during  which 
the  two  bells  of  the  cathedral  are  jingling;  third,  by  the 
shutting  up  of  the  majority  of  the  shops  and  ware- 
houses kept  by  the  Americans,  and  fourth,  by  the  firing 
of  the  guns  of  most  of  the  young  gentlemen  in  the 
neighboring  swamps,  to  whom  Sunday  affords  leisure 
for  field  sports;  fifth,  the  Presbyterian,  Episcopal,  and 
Methodist  churches  are  also  open  on  that  day,  and 
are  attended  by  a large  majority  of  the  ladies  of  their 
respective  congregations. 

In  other  respects,  no  difference  between  Sunday  and 
any  other  day  exists.  The  shops  are  open,  as  well  as 
the  theater  and  the  ballroom,  and  in  the  city,  at  least, 
“ Sunday  shines  no  holiday  ” to  slaves  and  hirelings. 

In  how  far  the  intermarriage  of  Americans  with 
French  girls  will  produce  a less  rigid  observance  of  the 
gloom  of  an  English  Sunday,  it  is  impossible  to  foresee. 
For  some  time  an  effect  will  be  produced;  for  I have 
spent  Sunday  in  a family  in  which  a devout  Quaker 
and  a Presbyterian,  who  have  married  two  sisters, 
joined  in  a very  agreeable  dance  after  a little  concert. 
But  the  pulpit,  now  filled  very  ably  by  the  Presbyterian 
clergyman,  Mr.  Learned,  and  the  Episcopalian,  Mr. 
Hull,  directs  its  principal  energy  against  this  pretended 

175 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


profanation  of  the  Sabbath;  and  with  the  countenance 
of  the  American  majority  perseverance  will  at  last 
prevail,  and  Sundays  will  become  gloomy  and  ennuyant , 
as  elsewhere  among  us. 

A bill  was  moved,  I think,  at  the  last  session  of 
the  Legislature  to  put  down  the  practice  of  dancing 
and  shopkeeping  prevailing  here  on  Sunday.  I am 
not  quite  sure  of  the  fact,  but  I have  heard  it  stated; 
but  if  the  attempt  was  made,  it  did  not  succeed.  Per- 
haps my  early  education  on  the  continent  of  Europe 
has  still  an  influence  over  my  opinions,  but  certainly, 
had  I been  in  the  Legislature,  I should  have  voted 
against  the  law  to  prohibit  recreation  of  any  sort  on 
Sunday,  on  principle.  If  gambling  is  a recreation,  it 
is  also  a vice;  that  is,  it  produces  certain  inevitable 
misery  to  the  winner  as  well  as  the  loser,  and  certain 
injury  to  their  families  and  to  the  community  at  large. 
The  more  effectually,  therefore,  that  sort  of  recreation 
is  put  down,  not  on  Sunday  only,  but  on  all  days,  and 
the  sooner,  so  much  the  better.  I was  also  of  the  opin- 
ion that  the  shopkeeping  ought  to  be  put  down,  inde- 
pendently of  any  religious  motives,  because  it  forces 
those  who  have  no  interest  in  the  sales — that  is,  the 
hired  people  and  apprentices — to  labor,  and  deprives 
them  of  the  privilege  of  divine  worship  or  of  recrea- 
tion, if  you  please,  which  every  other  individual,  and 
probably  the  masters  themselves,  enjoys  once  in  seven 
days.  But  my  opinion  is  altered  after  being  better  in- 

176 


NEW  ORLEANS  AND  ITS  PEOPLE 


formed,  principally  by  conversation  with  Mr.  Thomas 
Urquhart,  one  of  the  oldest  inhabitants  and  most  sensible 
men  of  this  place.  The  slaves  are  by  no  means  obliged 
to  work  anywhere  in  the  State  on  Sunday,  as  has  been 
stated,  and  is  believed  in  the  Eastern  States  by  many — 
excepting  in  the  sugar-boiling  season,  and  to  prevent 
danger  from  inundation  when  the  river  rises  on  the 
levee.  They  do,  indeed,  work  at  other  seasons  by  the 
desire,  perhaps  by  the  order,  of  their  masters;  but  it 
is  understood,  I believe  it  is  a law,  that  if  they  do 
work  they  shall  be  paid  for  their  labor,  both  in  boiling 
sugar  on  Sunday  and  for  every  other  kind  of  work. 

In  the  neighborhood  of  New  Orleans  the  land  is 
valuable  for  the  cultivation  of  sugar,  and  there  is  so 
little  of  it  that  were  is  not  for  the  vegetables  and  fowls 
and  small  marketing  of  all  sorts,  raised  by  the  negro 
slaves,  the  city  would  starve.  To  the  negroes  it  is  not 
labor,  but  frolic  and  recreation,  to  come  to  market. 
They  have  only  Sunday  on  which  to  sell  their  truck. 
If  more  good  than  evil  grows  out  of  the  license  to  these 
wretches  to  come  to  town  and  earn  some  comfort, 
some  decent  clothing,  or  even  some  finery  for  their 
families,  by  the  sale  of  their  articles,  if  the  town  is  fed 
and  the  negro  slave  clothed  thereby,  it  would  be  dif- 
ficult to  show  how  the  prohibition  of  the  practice  and 
its  consequences  would  be  compensated  by  the  forced 
idleness  of  these  people  throughout  the  week,  as  well  as 
their  idleness  or  forced  attendance  at  church  on  Sunday. 

177 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 

I have  often  listened  to  the  Puritan  doctrine  on  the  sub- 
ject of  Sunday  with  astonishment,  in  so  far  as  it  pro- 
hibits as  sin,  a word  of  very  elastic  meaning,  every 
innocent  act  satisfactory  to  the  human  heart  as  con- 
stituted by  our  Creator  on  one  day  in  the  week,  which 
it  allows  on  every  other,  and  justifies  this  rigor  by  the 
Ten  Commandments  and  the  example  of  the  early  Chris- 
tians. All  that  the  second  commandment  directs  is 
contained  in  these  words:  “ Six  days  shalt  thou  labor, 
and  on  the  seventh  [not  on  the  first]  thou  shalt  do 
no  manner  of  work,  neither  thou,”  etc.,  etc.  Now, 
recreation  is  certainly  not  herein  forbidden,  neither 
walking,  nor  dancing,  nor  music,  nor  any  other  act  that 
gives  innocent  pleasure,  and  to  which  forced  labor, 
either  of  servant  or  animal,  is  not  required.  In  the 
country  in  which  the  Sabbath  was  instituted  a more 
benevolent,  a more  just,  and  a more  politic  law  could 
not  have  been  established  by  the  common  Father  of 
master  and  slave.  There  the  relation  of  slave  to  the 
master  was  infinitely  more  distant  and  more  oppressive 
than  with  us.  The  master  was  master  of  the  life,  as 
well  as  of  the  labor,  of  his  servant.  But  there  is  no 
country,  not  even  the  countries  in  which  this  relation  is 
wholly  unknown  to  the  laws,  in  which  the  difference 
of  rank  and  of  wealth  does  not  put  the  labor  of  the 
poor  at  the  disposal  of  the  rich.  It  is,  therefore,  a 
wise  and  benevolent  institution  that  says  to  power: 
“ Thus  far  shalt  thou  go,  and  no  farther.”  But  shall 

178 


NEW  ORLEANS  AND  ITS  PEOPLE 


the  slave,  released  from  the  constraint  of  his  master, 
be  told:  “ You  are  not  compelled  to  work,  but  you  shall 
not  play;  you  shall  listen  for  six  days  to  the  sound 
of  the  tabor  and  pipe  issuing  from  your  master’s  man- 
sion, and  see  at  a distance,  when  you  return  to  your 
hovel,  the  blaze  of  his  festivity,  and  through  his  win- 
dows gape  at  the  dance  and  the  revel  without  sharing 
it,  but  on  the  seventh  you  shall  go  to  church  for  an 
hour  or  two  and  the  rest  of  the  day  you  shall  sit  idle 
by  force,  ‘ for  every  step  in  the  dance  is  a step  toward 
hell  fire?  ’ It  is  no  sin  for  your  master  to  spend,  during 
six  days,  the  product  of  the  sweat  of  your  brow  on 
musicians  and  gardeners  and  coachmen  and  footmen, 
and  all  the  other  means  of  innocent  pleasure  which  the 
most  pious  allow  themselves;  but  for  you  to  do  the  little 
dancing,  and  playing  of  football  or  cricket,  which  you 
can  do  on  the  seventh,  is  a crying  sin.”  It  will  be  hard 
to  find  this  doctrine  in  the  second  commandment;  still 
less  will  it  be  found  that  at  the  risk  of  real  injury  to 
themselves,  and  to  the  city  which  their  labor  during 
the  week  tends  to  supply  with  food,  they  are  forbidden 
to  indulge  the  useful  recreation  of  going  to  market. 

This  long  dissertation  has  been  suggested  by  my 
accidentally  stumbling  upon  an  assembly  of  negroes, 
which,  I am  told,  every  Sunday  afternoon  meets  on 
the  Common  in  the  rear  of  the  city.  My  object  was 
to  take  a walk  on  the  bank  of  the  Canal  Carondelet 
as  far  as  the  Bayou  St.  John.  In  going  up  St.  Peter’s 

179 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 

Street  and  approaching  the  Common,  I heard  a most 
extraordinary  noise,  which  I supposed  to  proceed  from 
some  horse-mill — the  horses  tramping  on  a wooden 
floor.  I found,  however,  on  emerging  from  the  house 
to  the  Common  that  it  proceeded  from  a crowd  of  five 
or  six  hundred  persons,  assembled  in  an  open  space  or 
public  square.  I went  to  the  spot  and  crowded  near 
enough  to  see  the  performance.  All  those  who  were 
engaged  in  the  business  seemed  to  be  blacks.  I did  not 
observe  a dozen  yellow  faces.  They  were  formed  into 
circular  groups,  in  the  midst  of  four  of  which  that  I 
examined  (but  there  were  more  of  them)  was  a ring, 
the  largest  not  ten  feet  in  diameter.  In  the  first  were 
two  women  dancing.  They  held  each  a coarse  hand- 
kerchief, extended  by  the  corners,  in  their  hands,  and 
set  to  each  other  in  a miserably  dull  and  slow  figure, 
hardly  moving  their  feet  or  bodies.  The  music  con- 
sisted of  two  drums  and  a stringed  instrument.  An 
old  man  sat  astride  of  a cylindrical  drum,  about  a foot 
in  diameter,  and  beat  it  with  incredible  quickness  with 
the  edge  of  his  hand  and  fingers.  The  other  drum  was 
an  open-staved  thing  held  between  the  knees  and  beaten 
in  the  same  manner.  They  made  an  incredible  noise. 
The  most  curious  instrument,  however,  was  a stringed 
instrument,  which  no  doubt  was  imported  from  Africa. 
On  the  top  of  the  finger  board  was  the  rude  figure  of 
a man  in  a sitting  posture,  and  two  pegs  behind  him 
to  which  the  strings  were  fastened.  The  body  was 

180 


NEW  ORLEANS  AND  ITS  PEOPLE 

a calabash.  It  was  played  upon  by  a very  little  old 
man,  apparently  eighty  or  ninety  years  old.  The 
women  squalled  out  a burden  to  the  playing,  at  in- 
tervals, consisting  of  two  notes,  as  the  negroes  work- 
ing in  our  cities  respond  to  the  song  of  their  leader. 
Most  of  the  circles  contained  the  same  sort  of  dances. 
One  was  larger,  in  which  a ring  of  a dozen  women 
walked,  by  way  of  dancing,  round  the  music  in  the 
center.  But  the  instruments  were  of  different  con- 
struction. One  which  from  the  color  of  the  wood 
seemed  new,  consisted  of  a block  cut  into  something 
of  the  form  of  a cricket  bat,  with  a long  and  deep 
mortise  down  the  center.  This  thing  made  a con- 
siderable noise,  being  beaten  lustily  on  the  side  by  a 
short  stick.  In  the  same  orchestra  was  a square  drum, 
looking  like  a stool,  which  made  an  abominable,  loud 
noise;  also  a calabash  with  a round  hole  in  it,  the  hole 
studded  with  brass  nails,  which  was  beaten  by  a woman 
with  two  short  sticks.  A man  sung  an  uncouth  song 
to  the  dancing,  which  I suppose  was  in  some  African 
language,  for  it  was  not  French,  and  the  women 
screamed  a detestable  burden  on  one  single  note.  The 
allowed  amusements  of  Sunday  have,  it  seems,  perpetu- 
ated here  those  of  Africa  among  its  former  inhabitants. 
I have  never  seen  anything  more  brutally  savage  and 
at  the  same  time  dull  and  stupid,  than  this  whole  ex- 
hibition. Continuing  my  walk  about  a mile  along  the 
canal,  and  returning  after  sunset  near  the  same  spot, 

1 8 1 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


the  noise  was  still  heard.  There  was  not  the  least 
disorder  among  the  crowd,  nor  do  I learn,  on  inquiry, 
that  these  weekly  meetings  of  the  negroes  have  ever 
produced  any  mischief. 

The  general  opinion  of  the  masters  and  mistresses 
of  the  slaves  in  this  city  and  neighborhood  is  that  the 
Americans  treat  and  feed  and  clothe  their  slaves  well, 
but  that  the  creoles  are,  in  all  these  respects,  compara- 
tively cruel  to  all  these  unfortunate  people.  In  going 
into  Davis’s  ballroom  and  looking  around  the  brilliant 
circle  of  ladies,  it  is  impossible  to  imagine  that  any  one 
of  the  fair,  mild,  and  somewhat  languid  faces  could 
express  any  feeling  but  of  kindness  and  humanity.  And 
yet  several,  I had  almost  said  many,  of  these  soft 
beauties  had  themselves  handled  the  cowskin  with  a 
sort  of  savage  pleasure,  and  those  soft  eyes  had  looked 
on  the  tortures  of  their  slaves,  inflicted  by  their  orders, 
with  satisfaction,  while  they  had  coolly  prescribed  the 
dose  of  infliction,  the  measure  of  which  should  stop 
short  of  the  life  of  their  property. 

Madame  Tremoulet — why  should  I conceal  the 
name  of  such  a termagant — is  one  of  these  notorious 
for  their  cruelty.  She  is  a small,  mild-faced  creature, 
who  weeps  over  the  absence  of  her  daughter,  now  with 
her  husband  in  France.  She  has  several  servants;  one 
a mulatto  woman,  by  far  the  best  house  servant  of  her 
sex  that  I know  of,  famous  also  as  a seamstress  and 
for  her  good  temper,  so  much  so  that  she  can  at  any 

182 


NEW  ORLEANS  AND  ITS  PEOPLE 


time  be  sold  for  $2,000,  and  Tremoulet  actually  asks 
$3,000.  Independently  of  her  duty  in  a large  board- 
ing house,  in  waiting,  and  making  beds,  she  is  expected 
to  make  two  shirts  a day  (and  night)  for  the  benefit 
of  her  mistress’  private  purse.  In  six  weeks  I have 
never  seen  in  her  conduct  the  smallest  fault;  she  is 
modest,  obliging,  and  incredibly  active.  A few  days 
ago  she  failed,  because  it  was  impossible,  to  make  the 
bed  of  a stranger  at  the  hour  prescribed.  In  conse- 
quence of  this  fault,  Madame  Tremoulet  had  her 
stripped  quite  naked,  tied  to  a bedpost,  and  she  her- 
self, in  the  presence  of  her  daughter,  Airs.  Turpin,  the 
mother  of  three  beautiful  children,  whipped  her  with 
a cowskin  until  she  bled.  Mrs.  Turpin  then  observed: 
“ Martian,  vous  etes  trop  bonne;  pourquoi  prenez  vous 
la  peine  de  la  f one t ter  vous-meme,  appellez  done  Guil- 
laume.”  William  was  called  and  made  to  whip  her 
till  she  fainted.  This  scene  made  a noise  in  the  house, 
and  the  blood  betrayed  it.  Poor  Sophy  is  ill  and  con- 
stantly crying.  I shall  leave  the  house  as  soon  as  con- 
venient to  me. 

Madame  is  another  of  these  hell  cats.  Her 

husband  is  a very  amiable  man,  president  of  the  Bank 
of  Louisiana,  whom  she  had  driven  to  seek  a divorce, 
but  the  matter  has  been  compromised  lately.  She  did 
actually  whip  a negress  to  death,  and  treated  another 
so  cruelly  that  she  died  a short  time  afterwards.  Mr. 
, a principal  merchant  of  this  place,  stated  the 

183 


15 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


facts  to  the  grand  jury,  but  it  was  hushed  up  from 
respect  to  the  lady’s  husband. 

My  landlady,  a sensible  Irish  woman,  saw  through 

the  fence  preparations  making  by  Madame  C to 

punish  several  of  her  negroes.  A ladder  was  brought 
and  laid  down  and  a naked  man  tied  upon  it.  She 
was  so  shocked  that  she  left  her  house  for  several  hours 
and  did  not  return  until  she  supposed  the  execution  was 

over.  The  first  wife  of was  a beast  of  the  same 

kind.  A gentleman,  whom  I will  not  name,  saw  her 
stand  by,  some  years  ago,  while  a naked  woman  was 
tied  on  a ladder  by  her  orders  to  undergo  the  punish- 
ment of  the  whip.  He  immediately  turned  about  and 
departed. 

At  the  ball  on  Washington’s  birthday,  the  22d,  the 
idea  of  these  things  destroyed  all  the  pleasure  I should 
otherwise  have  felt  in  seeing  the  brilliant  assemblage 
of  as  many  beautiful  faces  and  forms  as  I ever  saw 
collected  in  one  room.  All  pale,  languid,  and  mild.  I 
fancied  that  I saw  a cowskin  in  every  pretty  hand, 
gracefully  waved  in  the  dance;  and  admired  the  com- 
parative awkwardness  of  look  and  motion  of  my  coun- 
trywomen, whose  arms  had  never  been  rendered  pliant 
by  the  exercise  of  the  whip  upon  the  bound  and  scream- 
ing slaves.  Whatever,  therefore,  this  community  may 
lose  in  taste  and  elegance  and  exterior  suavity,  and  ac- 
quire of  serious  and  awkward  bluntness,  and  commer- 
cial stiffness,  may  the  change  be  as  rapid  as  possible, 

184 


NEW  ORLEANS  AND  ITS  PEOPLE 


if  at  the  same  time  active  humanity  is  introduced  into 
the  deplorable  system  of  slavery,  which,  I fear,  must 
long,  perhaps  forever,  prevail  in  this  State. 

I begin  to  understand  the  town  a little,  as  a collec- 
tion of  houses;  and  a curious  town  it  is.  It  would  be 
worth  while,  and  if  I can  find  time  I will  try  to  do 
something  of  the  sort,  to  make  a series  of  drawings 
representing  the  city  as  it  now  is,  for  it  would  be  a 
safe  wager  that  in  a hundred  years  not  a vestige  will 
remain  of  the  buildings  as  they  now  stand,  excepting, 
perhaps,  a few  public  buildings,  and  of  houses  built 
since  the  American  acquisition  of  the  country.  The 
three  most  prominent  buildings  in  the  city  are  the 
cathedral,  the  Principal,  and  the  Presbytery,  already 
alluded  to.  They  form  the  northwest  side  of  the  Place 
d’Armes.  The  cathedral  occupies  the  center,  the  two 
others  are  perfectly  symmetrical  in  their  exterior,  the 
Principal  to  the  south,  the  Presbytery  to  the  north  of 
the  church.  Although  in  detail  these  buildings  are  as 
bad  as  they  well  can  be,  their  symmetry  and  the  good 
proportions  and  strong  relief  of  the  facades  of  the  two 
latter  and  the  solid  mass  of  the  former  produce  an 
admirable  effect  when  seen  from  the  river  or  the  levee. 

The  construction  of  these  buildings  is  curious.  The 
foundations  are  laid  about  six  inches  below  the  natural 
surface,  that  is,  the  turf  is  shaved  off,  and  logs  then 
being  laid  level  along  the  shallow  trench,  very  solid 

185 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 

piers  and  thick  walls  of  brick  are  immediately  built 
upon  the  logs.  The  cathedral  is  bound  together  by 
numerous  iron  clamps,  which  appear  externally  in  S’s 
and  other  forms;  but  I do  not  think  they  were  very 
necessary,  the  settlement  of  buildings  here  being  very 
equal  and  general,  and  few,  if  any,  cramps  appear  on 
the  outside  of  a few  other  buildings.  The  southeast 
corner  of  the  Principal,  however,  has  not  settled  as 
much  as  the  rest  of  the  front;  for  though  no  crack  ap- 
pears, the  horizontal  moldings  are  swayed  down  at  least 
four  inches  toward  the  northeast.  The  corner  that  has 
not  settled,  as  I was  informed  by  the  mayor,  was  built 
upon  the  foundation  of  an  old  wall;  from  which  cir- 
cumstance it  would  appear  that  the  earth,  once  pressed 
down  by  considerable  weight,  does  not  afterwards  admit 
of  further  condensation.  In  digging  the  foundation  of 
my  boring  mill,  I found  the  ground  hardest  at  the  very 
surface,  and  almost  a quicksand  on  the  northwest  side, 
where  the  foundation  of  the  old  building  obliged  me 
to  dig  deeper. 

These  three  buildings  are,  in  fact,  the  best  looking 
in  New  Orleans  at  present.  The  hospital  is  a good  de- 
sign by  my  son.  The  New  Orleans  theater  joined  to 
Davis’s  Assembly  rooms  is  a thing  that  had  not  a strik- 
ing effect.  It  is  tame,  but  otherwise  not  a bad  composi- 
tion. The  old  theater  of  St.  Philip  has  an  unfinished 
front,  which,  if  complete,  would  be  rather  pretty. 
After  a longer  residence  I shall  be  better  qualified  to 

186 


NEW  ORLEANS  AND  ITS  PEOPLE 


speak  of  the  private  houses.  But  this  much  I may  say, 
that  although  the  sort  of  house  built  here  by  the  French 
is  not  the  best  specimen  of  French  arrangement,  yet  it 
is  infinitely,  in  my  opinion,  superior  to  that  arrange- 
ment which  we  have  inherited  from  the  English.  But 
so  inveterate  is  habit  that  the  merchants  from  the  old 
United  States,  who  are  daily  gaining  ground  in  the 
manners  and  habits,  the  opinions  and  the  domestic 
arrangements  of  the  French,  have  already  begun  to 
introduce  the  detestable,  lop-sided  London  house,  in 
which  a common  passage  and  stairs  acts  as  a common 
sewer  to  all  the  necessities  of  the  dwelling,  and  renders 
it  impossible  to  preserve  a temperature  within  the 
house  materially  different  from  that  of  the  atmosphere 
without,  as  the  coughs,  colds,  and  consumptions  of  our 
Eastern  cities  amply  testify.  With  the  English  arrange- 
ment, the  red  brick  fronts  are  also  gaining  ground,  and 
the  suburb  St.  Mary,  the  American  suburb,  already  ex- 
hibits the  flat,  dull,  dingy  character  of  Market  Street  in 
Philadelphia,  instead  of  the  motley  and  picturesque 
effect  of  the  stuccoed  French  buildings  of  the  city.  We 
shall  introduce  many  grand  and  profitable  improve- 
ments, but  they  will  take  the  place  of  much  elegance, 
ease,  and  some  convenience. 

The  change  which  is  gradually  taking  place  in  the 
character  of  this  city  is  not  very  rapid  compared  with 
the  march  of  society  on  the  continent  generally,  but 
to  the  old  inhabitants  it  must  appear  extraordinary 

187 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 

enough.  Much  of  what  was  a daily  practice  has  en- 
tirely disappeared,  never  to  return;  for  instance,  the 
military  parade  of  the  intendant,  and  all  the  ceremony 
that  belongs  to  the  government  of  a city  in  which  the 
people  were  only  an  appendage  to  the  magistracy.  The 
governor  of  the  State  is  certainly  the  head  of  a much 
more  important  and  powerful  community  than  the 
Spanish  authority  ever  reigned  over.  But  the  difference 
of  respect  with  which  the  former  is  treated,  compared 
with  the  submission  shown  to  the  latter  whenever  he 
appeared,  is  in  an  immense  ratio  entirely.  I observed 
a remarkable  instance  of  the  democratic  character  of 
the  citizens  at  the  magnificent  ball  given  at  Davis’s,  on 
Washington’s  birthday.  There  were  about  three  hun- 
dred gentlemen  present,  and  probably  four  hundred 
ladies.  When  supper  was  ready,  old  Mr.  Fortier,  an 
old  creole  of  about  seventy,  with  the  spirits  and  man- 
ners of  a boy  of  seventeen,  who  is  a sort  of  self-elected 
master  of  the  ceremonies,  not  only  at  balls,  but  at  all 
private  parties  to  which  he  is  invited,  stopped  the  danc- 
ing, and  called  out:  “ II  y a cinquante  couverts , cm- 
quante  dames  an  sonper , an  souper , an  souper!  ” About 
one  hundred,  however,  sat  down,  and  the  gentlemen 
stood  behind  their  chairs;  another  and  another  set  suc- 
ceeded. The  third  set  did  not  fill  the  table,  and  the 
gentlemen  sat  down  to  it  as  fast  as  they  could.  The 
governor,  Villere,  the  chief  judge  of  the  United  States 
Circuit  Court,  an  officer  whom  I do  not  know,  Commo- 

1 8 8 


NEW  ORLEANS  AND  ITS  PEOPLE 


dore  Patterson,  and  the  Mayor  of  Orleans,  were  shown 
to  the  head  of  the  table  by  the  managers.  But  all  the 
places  were  occupied  by  young  men,  not  one  of  whom 
would  give  way.  I happened  to  be  among  them  and 
immediately  rose,  offering  my  place  to  the  governor,  and 
giving  a hint  to  my  neighbors.  They  looked  round, 
but  not  a man  of  them  followed  my  example,  and  as 
I vacated  only  one  place  and  did  not  sit  down  again, 
it  was  soon  filled  by  somebody  else. 

The  Catholic  religion  formerly  was  the  only  one 
permitted,  and  was  carried  on  with  all  the  pomp  and 
ceremony  of  a Spanish  establishment.  The  Host  was 
carried  to  the  sick  in  great  parade,  and  all  those  whom 
it  encountered  knelt  devoutly  till  it  had  passed.  All 
that  is  now  over,  and  I understand  that  the  procession 
of  the  Host  through  the  streets  has  not  been  seen  here 
for  several  years. 

When  the  American  Government  took  possession 
of  New  Orleans,  it  found  here  a bishop,  who  was  in  full 
possession  of  all  the  ecclesiastical  power  belonging  to 
his  rank,  and  of  a considerable  share  of  civil  authority. 
He  did  not  remain  here,  but  went  to  the  Havana,  where 
I am  told  he  now  resides.  A vicar  was  appointed,  I 
do  not  know  by  what  authority,  and  the  famous  Abbe 
Dubourg  was  the  man.  There  is  here  an  old  Spanish 
monk,  Father  Anthony,  whose  influence  among  the 
Catholics  is  unbounded.  He  did  not  like  this  new  vicar, 
Abbe  Dubourg,  who — ambition  is  equal  to  his  talents, 

189 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


and  both  are  of  the  first  magnitude — exerted  himself 
to  maintain  his  authority.  He  twice  entered  the  pulpit 
But  as  soon  as  his  voice  was  heard,  a number  in  the 
church  were  seized  with  the  most  violent  colds;  they 
sneezed,  coughed,  spat,  and,  as  decency  required,  rubbed 
out  their  spittle  on  the  floor  with  their  feet.  They  sat, 
in  fact,  so  uneasily  on  their  benches  that  they  were 
obliged  to  be  in  perpetual  motion,  and  did  not  recover 
anything  like  tranquillity  until  the  abbe  had  finished  his 
sermon. 

The  conduct  of  Father  Antoine,  in  fact,  was  such 
that  Archbishop  Carrol  suspended  him,  and  I think 
Archbishop  Mareschal  has  been  obliged  to  do  the  same. 
He  made  his  submission  and  was  restored.  Abbe  Du- 
bourg  acquired  a temporary  eclat  on  the  8th  of  Jan- 
uary, when  he  collected  all  the  ladies  in  the  church  and 
performed  high  mass,  while  the  men  were  fighting  at 
the  lines.  The  subsequent  parade  and  a flaming  oration 
a la  Francaise  kept  him  up  for  some  time,  and  he  then 
went  to  Italy  and  France.  The  Pope  consecrated  him 
Bishop  of  Orleans  and  he  returned;  but  Father  Anthony 
remained  refractory,  and  yet  refused  to  acknowledge  his 
authority,  no  regular  deposition  or  abdication  of  the 
Spanish  bishop  having  taken  place.  The  Catholic 
Church  here,  therefore,  is  in  a kind  of  schismatic  state. 
All  matters  of  ceremony  and  faith  are,  I presume,  as 
elsewhere;  but  the  authority  of  the  Holy  Father  at 
Rome  appears  to  be  disavowed  in  the  person  of  the 

190 


NEW  ORLEANS  AND  ITS  PEOPLE 


bishop  he  has  consecrated  and  sent  out.  In  the  mean- 
time, Bishop  Dubourg,  with  the  collection  of  priests,  or- 
naments, and  money  which  he  has  collected  and  begged 
in  Europe,  and  which  amount  to  forty  of  the  former 
and  a very  large  sum  of  the  latter,  has  established  him- 
self at  St.  Louis,  where  he  is  about  to  build  his  cathedral. 
In  speaking  on  this  subject  to  Archbishop  Mareschal, 
at  Baltimore,  he  seemed  very  rationally  to  think  it  best 
to  let  the  schism  die  with  Father  Anthony. 

Although  the  procession  of  the  Host  no  longer 
parades  the  streets,  the  parade  of  funerals  is  still  a 
thing  which  is  peculiar  to  New  Orleans,  among  all  the 
American  cities.  I have  twice  met,  accidentally,  a 
funeral.  They  were  both  of  colored  people;  for  the 
coffin  was  carried  by  men  of  that  race,  and  none  but 
negroes  and  quadroons  followed  it.  First  marched  a 
man  in  a military  uniform  with  a drawn  sword.  Then 
came  three  boys  in  surplices,  with  pointed  caps,  two 
carrying  staves  with  candlesticks  in  the  form  of  urns  at 
the  top,  and  the  third,  in  the  center,  a large  silver 
cross.  At  some  distance  behind  came  Father  Anthony 
and  another  priest,  who  seemed  very  merry  at  the  cere- 
mony of  yesterday,  and  were  engaged  in  loud  and  cheer- 
ful conversation.  At  some  distance  farther  came  the 
coffin.  It  was  carried  by  four  well-dressed  black  men, 
and  to  it  were  attached  six  white  ribbons  about  two 
yards  in  length,  the  ends  of  which  were  held  by  six 
colored  girls,  very  well  dressed  in  white,  with  long 

191 


y 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


veils.  A crowd  of  colored  people  followed  confusedly, 
many  of  whom  carried  candles  lighted.  I stood  upon 
a step  till  the  whole  had  passed,  and  counted  sixty-nine 
candles. 

About  a month  ago  I attended  high  mass  at  the 
cathedral.  All  the  usual  motions  were  made;  I think 
in  greater  profusion,  indeed,  than  ordinary,  and  the 
common  service  performed  in  the  common  way.  But 
what  was  unusual  was  the  procession  of  the  Host  round 
the  church;  the  Mortranza  (literally  the  “showbox,” 
Latin  pix,  from  which  the  exclamation  “ Please  the 
pigs  ” — pix — is  derived)  was  a very  fine  affair  indeed, 
and  an  embroidered  canopy  was  carried  over  it  upon 
six  silver  staves,  held  by  six  very  respectable-looking 
men. 

One  of  my  motives  for  going  to  the  cathedral  was 
the  hope  of  hearing  good  and  affecting  church  music. 
In  this  I was  most  sadly  disappointed.  There  was  no 
organ,  at  least  the  miserable  organ  which  they  have 
was  not  played.  The  voices,  half  a dozen,  at  least,  of 
them,  that  chanted  the  service  were  the  loudest  and 
most  unmusical  that  I ever  heard  in  a church.  The 
loudness  was  terrific,  of  one  of  them  particularly,  and 
as  they  chanted  in  unison,  and  in  the  most  villainous 
taste  imaginable,  something  between  a metrical  melody 
and  a free  recitative,  it  is  not  easy  to  conceive  anything 
more  diabolical. 

The  congregation  consisted  of  at  least  four-fifths 

192 


NEW  ORLEANS  AND  ITS  PEOPLE 


women,  of  which  number  one-half,  at  least,  were  col- 
ored. For  many  years  I have  not  seen  candles  offered 
at  the  altars;  but  at  each  of  the  side  altars  there  were 
half  a dozen  candles  stuck  upon  the  steps  by  old  colored 
women,  who  seemed  exceedingly  devout. 

At  Baltimore,  the  metropolis  of  American  Catholi- 
cism, the  stages  of  the  mass  performing  within  the 
church  is  no  longer  announced  to  those  who  do  not 
attend  there.  But  here,  the  pious  Catholic  confined  to 
his  bed  at  home  can  follow  the  congregation  in  the 
church  through  the  whole  exhibition.  The  bell  is  kept 
at  work  as  a signal,  and  when  the  Host  is  elevated, 
it  rings  a peal  that  is  heard  all  over  the  city. 

Father  Anthony  is  said  to  be  near  eighty.  He 
looks,  indeed,  so.  He  has  a long,  sharp  face,  with  an 
aquiline  nose  and  a gray  beard,  long  and  thin,  which 
has  once  been  red. 


193 


y 


CHAPTER  X 


PECULIAR  CUSTOMS,  WITH  SOME  DISJECTA  MEMBRA 
UPON  ART  CONVENTIONS 

New  Orleans,  March  8,  1819. 

I WALKED  to-day  to  the  burial  grounds  on  the 
northwest  side  of  the  town.  There  is  an  in- 
closure for  the  Catholic  Church  of  about  three 
hundred  feet  square,  and  immediately  adjoining  is  the 
burial  place  of  the  Protestants,  of  about  equal  dimen- 
sions. The  Catholic  tombs  are  of  a very  different 
character  from  those  of  our  Eastern  and  Northern  cities. 
They  are  of  brick,  much  larger  than  necessary  to  in- 
close a single  coffin,  and  plastered  over  so  as  to  have 
a very  solid  and  permanent  appearance.  They  are  of 
many  shapes  of  similar  character,  covering  each  an 
area  of  seven  or  eight  feet  long  and  four  or  five  feet 
wide,  and  being  from  five  to  seven  feet  high.  They 
are  crowded  close  together,  without  any  particular  at- 
tention to  aspect.  The  range  of  the  sides  of  the  area 
is  southwest  and  northeast,  and  northwest  and  south- 
east. It  appeared  to  me  possible  that  the  confusion 
might  arise  from  the  different  degrees  of  importance 
which  the  friends  or  priests  might  attach  to  the  east 

194 


PECULIAR  CUSTOMS 


and  west  position  of  the  tomb,  a position  which  was 
once  considered  an  essential  in  the  construction  of  a 
church,  as  well  as  in  the  placing  of  a tomb;  and  is  a 
surviving  remnant  of  Eastern  worship  which  still  hangs 
about  our  religious  practice  after  being  disavowed  by 
our  creeds.  I was  once  told  by  a Catholic  priest  that 
the  position  of  the  coffin,  with  the  feet  to  the  east  and 
the  head  to  the  west,  was  of  the  first  importance,  be- 
cause that  at  the  resurrection  Christ  would  appear  in 
the  east,  and  if  they  were  placed  otherwise  they  would 
rise  with  their  backs  toward  Him.  Without  intending 
to  place  this  subject  in  a ludicrous  light,  I mention  this 
opinion  as  a strong  proof  that  the  worship  of  the  sun 
rising  in  the  east  has  strongly  impregnated  the  religious 
practices  of  the  Christian  church;  and  assuredly,  of  all 
false  worship,  none  appears  to  me  more  natural  and 
pardonable  than  that  of  the  rising  sun. 

In  one  corner  of  the  Catholic  burying  ground  are 
two  sets  of  catacombs,  of  three  stories  each,  roughly 
built,  and  occupying  much  more  room  than  is  necessary. 
Many  of  the  catacombs  were  occupied,  but  not  in 
regular  succession,  and  the  mouths  of  some  were  filled 
up  with  marble  slabs  having  inscriptions.  But  more 
were  bricked  up  and  plastered,  without  any  indication 
of  the  person’s  name  who  occupies  it.  Of  the  tombs 
there  are  very  few  that  are  furnished  with  any  inscrip- 
tion whatever.  The  few  that  are  record  only  the  name 
and  the  date  of  the  birth  and  death  of  the  deceased, 


195 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


with  a very  few  exceptions.  One  of  the  catacombs 
had  this  simple  epitaph  on  L.  M.  M.  Villouet,  aged 
twenty  years: 

t(  Qui,  qui  tu  sois,  respecte  ce  monument 
dernier  asile  d’une  fille  bonne  et  vertueuse.’, 

More  needed  not  to  be  said. 

The  Protestant  burying  ground  has  tombs  of  much 
the  same  construction,  but  a little  varied  in  character, 
and  they  are  all  ranged  parallel  to  the  sides  of  the 
inclosure.  The  monument  of  the  wife,  child,  and 
brother-in-law  of  Governor  Claiborne  is  the  most  con- 
spicuous, and  has  a panel  enriched  with  very  good  sculp- 
ture. A female  lies  on  a bed  with  her  child  lying  across 
her  body,  both  apparently  just  departed.  A winged 
figure,  pointing  upward,  holds  over  her  head  the  crown 
of  immortality.  At  the  foot  of  the  bed  kneels  the  hus- 
band in  an  attitude  of  extreme  grief.  The  execution 
is  very  good,  and  it  is  less  injured  than  might  have  been 
expected  from  its  exposure  in  an  open  burial  place. 
The  governor’s  rank  is  indicated  by  the  fasces  at  the 
head  of  the  bedstead. 

There  were  two  or  three  graves  opened  and  ex- 
pecting their  tenants.  Eight  or  nine  inches  below  the 
surface  they  were  filled  with  water  and  were  not  three 
feet  deep.  Thus  all  persons  are  here  buried  in  the 
water.  The  surface  of  the  burying  ground  must  now 
be  seven  or  eight  feet  below  the  level  of  the  Mississippi, 

196 


PECULIAR  CUSTOMS 


which  has  still  five  or  six  feet  to  rise  before  it  attains 
its  usual  highest  level.  The  ground  was  everywhere 
perforated  by  the  crawfish,  the  amphibious  lobster 
(ecrevisse) . I have,  indeed,  seen  them  in  their  usual 
attitude  of  defiance  in  the  gutters  of  the  streets.  The 
French  are  fond  of  them,  and  make  excellent  and 
“ handsome  ” soup  of  them,  their  scarlet  shells  being 
filled  with  forced  meat  and  served  up  in  the  tureen. 
But  the  Americans,  with  true  English  anti-Gallican 
prejudices,  disdain  this  species  of  the  Cancer,  although 
we  delight  in  crabs  and  lobsters,  the  food  of  which  we 
all  know  to  be  in  the  last  degree  disgusting.  They  pre- 
tend that  the  sellers  of  this  fish  collect  them  principally 
in  the  churchyards,  which  is  not,  I believe,  true,  and, 
in  fact,  impossible,  considering  the  quantity  that  are 
sold. 

We  are  all  slaves,  nationally  and  individually,  of 
habit;  our  minds  and  our  bodies  are  equally  fashioned 
by  education,  and  although  the  original  dispositions  of 
individuals  give  specific  variety  to  character,  the  general 
sentiment,  like  the  general  manners,  modes  of  living, 
and  cooking,  of  sitting  and  standing  and  walking,  can 
only  be  slowly  changed  by  the  gradual  substitution  of 
a new  habit  for  the  old. 

In  nothing  does  habit  and  general  and  long-con- 
tinued practice  guide  a community  more  despotically 
than  in  the  disposal  of  the  bodies  of  the  dead.  The 
Parsees,  in  Hindostan,  expose  them  in  the  open  air  to 

197 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


be  devoured  by  vultures,  and  judge  of  the  happiness  or 
misery  of  the  departed  soul  by  the  attack  of  the  birds 
upon  the  right  or  left  eye.  The  rich  Hindoos  burn 
and  the  poor  throw  their  dead  into  the  river  to  be  de- 
voured by  alligators  or  fish.  We  bury  them,  as  food 
for  worms  and  crawfish.  At  sea  we  deliver  them  to 
the  sharks,  crabs,  and  lobsters.  Those  who  can  afford 
it  inclose  them  in  leaden  and  stone  coffins,  as  if  jealous 
of  the  appetites  of  the  vermin  to  whom  they  might  give 
nourishment;  while  the  ancient  Egyptians  and  the  Euro- 
pean princes  and  nobles  embalm  the  bones  and  fleshy 
parts  and  leave  the  bowels  to  shift  for  themselves  in 
leaden  boxes.  In  many  places  in  Sicily  and  Italy  and 
Malta  the  bodies  are  preserved  by  drying.  The  Greeks 
and  Romans  committed  them  to  the  flames.  Of  all 
these  modes  of  getting  rid  of  the  dead  body,  the  latter 
is,  after  all,  productive  of  the  least  annoyance,  and  most 
completely  avoids  that  accumulation  which  we  find  so 
very  inconvenient,  and  which  inevitably  attends  our 
mode  of  burial. 

I do  not  recollect  to  have  met  in  any  author,  ancient 
or  modern,  with  any  account  of  the  manner  and  the  rea- 
sons of  the  change  in  the  usual  mode  of  disposing  of 
the  dead,  after  the  promulgation  of  Christianity,  and 
of  the  substitution  of  the  grave  for  the  funeral  pile. 
But  it  seems  to  have  naturally  grown  out  of  the  doctrine 
of  the  resurrection  of  the  body,  of  the  very  body  which 
the  soul  inhabited  in  this  state  of  our  existence.  The 

198 


NEW  ORLEANS  CEMETERY. 


PECULIAR  CUSTOMS 


dissipation  of  all  its  parts  by  the  action  of  fire  ap- 
peared so  near  an  approach  to  annihilation  that  it  was, 
I presume,  the  natural  consequence  of  the  new  doctrine 
that  the  body,  after  death,  should  be  as  well  preserved 
in  the  ground  as  possible.  “ The  graves  shall  give 
up  their  dead.”  Besides,  the  early  Christians  were  of 
opinion  that  the  day  of  judgment  and  the  resurrection 
of  the  body  would  take  place  during  the  existence  of 
the  first  or  second  generation  after  Christ — an  opinion 
which  appears  to  have  been  that  of  St.  Paul.  “ We 
shall  not  all  die,  but  we  shall  be  all  changed.”  And 
though  this  text  is  explained  away,  as  well  as  that  of 
Christ,  “ Verily,  verily,  I say  unto  you,  that  this  genera- 
tion shall  not  pass  away  before  these  things  come  to 
pass,”  yet  those  who  are  not  polemical  theologians  have 
a right  to  take  them  in  their  natural  sense. 

The  whole  event  of  the  resurrection  of  the  natural 
body  must  be  the  work  of  omnipotence;  and  it  cannot, 
therefore,  be  of  any  importance  whether  the  particles 
of  which  it  consists  be  dissipated  by  fire  or  by  any 
other  mode  of  dissolution.  In  either  mode  the  in- 
dividuality is  destroyed,  and  a new  synthesis  must  take 
place. 

I cannot,  therefore,  help  wishing  on  many  accounts 
that  the  burning  of  bodies  had  continued  to  be  the 
practice  of  Christians.  The  health  of  cities,  the 
convenience,  as  respects  public  squares  and  building 
grounds,  are  greatly  involved  in  our  practice.  At  the 
ig  199 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


cathedral  in  Baltimore,  and,  in  fact,  in  most  great 
cities,  the  existence  of  graveyards  has  been  found  a 
serious  nuisance.  The  great  operation  at  Paris,  in  re- 
moving the  dead  from  the  cemetery  of  Les  Innocents , 
is  an  astonishing  instance  of  the  expensive  efforts  that 
have  been  found  necessary  to  get  rid  of  them,  an  opera- 
tion that  none  but  Frenchmen  could  have  conceived  or 
executed.  But  there  are  other  reasons  for  which  I 
would  give  a preference  to  the  Greek  and  Roman  prac- 
tice. Those  who  have  lost  friends,  especially  of  a dif- 
ferent sex  from  themselves,  and  have  hearts  to  feel, 
need  not  be  told  that  whatever  philosophical  indiffer- 
ence may  have  existed  respecting  the  fate  of  their  own 
bodies  after  death,  those  of  their  friends  become  in- 
finitely dear  to  them,  and  that  no  display  of  their 
affection  is  considered  too  extravagant  or  too  expensive 
to  be  indulged  and  executed.  But  if  habit  did  not 
reconcile  us  to  everything,  how  inconsistent  with  the 
delicate  enthusiasm  of  a husband  respecting  the  body 
of  his  wife  and  child  does  it  not  seem  to  put  it  into  a 
hole  full  of  stagnant  water  about  three  feet  deep,  to 
be  there  devoured  by  crawfish,  as  is  done  unavoidably 
in  New  Orleans,  or  to  place  it  in  a catacomb  where  the 
worms  may  dispose  of  it! 

Now,  if  the  body  were  burned,  and  the  ashes  sepa- 
rately retained,  which  may  easily  be  done  by  many 
methods,  besides  the  expensive  one  of  sheets  of  as- 
bestos, if  they  ever  were  used,  the  space  occupied  would 


200 


PECULIAR  CUSTOMS 


be  so  small  and  the  remains  so  entirely  inoffensive 
to  any  sense  that  all  objections,  public  and  private, 
would  vanish  which  render  the  preservation  of  what 
is  left  behind  of  those  we  loved  so  difficult,  expensive, 
and,  in  most  cases,  impossible.  And  if  the  urns  that 
inclose  the  ashes  of  our  departed  friends  were  placed 
in  our  view,  the  delightful  sentiment  of  posthumous 
affection  would  be  longer  kept  alive,  and  its  moral  effect 
be  stronger  and  more  beneficial. 

I have  a confused  recollection  of  the  account  given 
to  me  by  Mr.  Foster,  the  British  minister,  of  the  dis- 
covery of  the  tomb  of  Aspasia.  Within  the  monument 
was  a large  marble  urn,  or  vase,  exquisitely  sculptured, 
with  decorations  of  cheerful  import.  Within  this  outer 
vase  was  found  an  urn  of  bronze  of  small  size,  but  of 
the  most  exquisite  workmanship,  containing  the  ashes 
of  that  extraordinary  woman,  who,  to  the  talents  and 
acquirements  of  the  Baroness  de  Stael,  added  a most 
refined  and  graceful  taste  and  exquisite  beauty,  although 
her  moral  character,  judged  on  the  most  latitudinarian 
of  Athenian  libertinism,  must  always  be  an  object  of 
disgust.  Upon  the  ashes,  which  only  partly  filled  the 
urn,  lay  a wreath  of  gold,  the  most  perfect  effort  of 
art,  a wreath  composed  of  a sprig  of  laurel  and  one 
of  myrtle. 

There  is  some  difference  between  such  a monument 
to  departed  worth  and  the  death’s  heads  and  cross 
bones  of  our  churchyards. 


201 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 

March  1 6,  1819. 

I happened  this  morning  to  be  in  the  dry-goods 
store  of  Mrs.  Herries,  a lady  who  formerly,  as  the 
wife  of  the  rich  Banker  Herries,  of  Buffalo,  figured  in 
the  highest  circles  of  fashion;  and  now,  one  of  the  many 
ruins  of  the  French  Revolution,  still  exhibits  in  her 
manners  and  language  the  characters  of  former  taste 
and  elegance.  At  the  same  time  she  has  had  the  good 
sense  not  to  be  ashamed  of  her  present  situation  and 
employment,  and  is  a most  admirable  and  attentive 
shopwoman,  both  to  her  customers  and  to  her  interest. 

While  I was  in  the  shop  a mulatto  man  came  in  and 
asked  for  some  shawls.  Mrs.  Herries  produced  some 
very  elegant  ones,  which  the  man  looked  at  with  an 
apparent  intention  to  buy,  but  said  he  had  no  money 
with  him,  but  that,  if  her  woman  was  out  with  shawls 
and  she  called  at  the  house,  one  would  be  bought  and 
paid  for.  Mrs.  Herries  replied  that  her  woman  was 
not  out  that  morning,  but  should  go  out,  and  the  man 
went  away. 

This  circumstance  induced  me  to  make  inquiries  as 
to  the  details  of  a mode  of  retail  trade  which  I had 
long  observed,  and  which  had  excited  my  curiosity. 
In  every  street,  during  the  whole  day,  women,  chiefly 
black  women,  are  met  carrying  baskets  upon  their  heads 
and  calling  at  the  doors  of  houses.  These  baskets  con- 
tain assortments  of  dry  goods,  sometimes,  to  appear- 
ance, to  a considerable  amount.  The  shawls  at  Mrs. 


202 


PECULIAR  CUSTOMS 


Herries’s  which  the  man  looked  at  cost  from  $28  to 
$50  each,  and  were  many  of  them  exceedingly  hand- 
some. 

These  female  peddlers  are  slaves  belonging  either 
to  persons  who  keep  dry-goods  stores  or  who  are  too 
poor  to  furnish  a store  with  goods,  but  who  buy  as 
many  at  auction  as  will  fill  a couple  of  baskets,  which 
baskets  are  their  shops.  I understand  that  the  whole 
of  the  retail  trade  in  dry  goods  was  carried  on  in  this 
way  before  the  United  States  got  possession  of  the 
country.  It  was  not  then,  nor  is  it  now,  the  fashion 
for  ladies  to  go  shopping.  The  creole  families  stick 
still  to  the  peddlers.  Although  many  inducements  are 
held  out  by  the  better  arrangement  and  exhibition  of 
the  shops  to  the  ladies  to  buy,  still,  as  in  everything 
else,  the  old  habit  wears  away  very  slowly.  I am  in- 
formed that  it  is  a very  unprofitable  mode  of  dealing; 
that  the  infidelity  of  the  peddlers,  their  ignorance  or 
forgetfulness  of  prices  at  which  they  ought  to  sell, 
and  the  slow  sales,  render  it  even  more  so  than  it  might 
be.  But  it  is  continued  by  two  circumstances : by  the 
dependence  of  those  who  live  by  the  labor  of  their 
slaves  upon  this  traffic,  and  by  the  necessity  thus  im- 
posed upon  the  shopkeepers  to  meet  their  petty  rivals 
on  the  same  ground.  This  retail  trade  is  so  far  worthy 
of  notice  as  it  forms  one  of  the  characteristic  features 
of  this  city  at  present. 

The  existence  of  slavery  brings  with  it  many  things 
203 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


which  seem  contradictory.  Servants  who  are  slaves  are 
always  treated  with  more  familiarity  than  hirelings; 
probably  because  if  you  indulge  and  behave  familiarly 
to  a hireling  you  cannot,  if  he  presume  upon  it,  correct 
him  as  you  can  a slave,  and  make  him  feel  his  in- 
feriority by  corporal  punishment.  Therefore  we  find 
cruelty  and  confidence,  cowhiding  and  caressing,  per- 
fectly in  accord  with  one  another  among  the  creoles  of 
this  place  and  their  slaves. 

There  are  poor  creole  families  and  individuals 
who  live  upon  the  labor  of  their  slaves.  Their  fuel 
is  collected  by  them  wherever  they  can  find  it,  and  the 
house  is  kept  either  by  the  petty  traffic  above  described 
or  by  some  other  species  of  industry  of  the  slaves,  in 
which  the  master  or  mistress  takes  no  share.  I have 
heard  of  mistresses  who  beat  their  slaves  cruelly  if  they 
do  not  bring  them  a sufficient  sum  of  money  to  enable 
them  to  keep  the  house  or  fuel  to  warm  them.  I 
know,  also  in  my  neighborhood,  an  old,  decrepit 
woman  who  is  maintained  entirely  by  an  old  slave 
whom  she  formerly  emancipated,  but  who,  on  her  mis- 
tress getting  old  and  helpless,  returned  to  her  and 
devoted  her  labor  to  her  support. 

Judge  M , of  this  city,  a severe  miser  and  very 

rich,  is  said  to  be  entirely  maintained  by  his  slaves, 
to  a few  of  whom  he  has  given  the  liberty  to  earn  as 
much  as  they  can  for  themselves,  provided  they  kept 
a good  table  for  him. 


204 


PECULIAR  CUSTOMS 


March  1 8,  1819. 

I went,  this  morning,  with  Mr.  Planton  to  see  his 
wife’s  picture  of  the  Treaty  of  Ghent.  It  is  an  ex- 
cellent painting  in  many  points  of  view,  and  there  are 
parts  of  it,  separate  figures  and  groups,  that  have  very 
extraordinary  merit.  But  its  inherent  sin,  especially 
in  America,  is  its  being  an  allegorical  picture.  When 
the  mythology  of  antiquity  was  the  substance  of  its 
religion,  and  the  character  and  history  of  every  deity 
were  known  to  every  individual  of  the  nation,  allegorical 
representations  were  a kind  of  written  description  of 
the  subject  represented,  and  might  be  generally  under- 
stood. But  since  Hercules  and  Minerva  and  the  rest 
of  the  deities  are  in  fashion  only  as  decorations  of  ju- 
venile poetry,  and  are  known  by  character  only  to  those 
few  who  have  had  classical  educations,  an  allegorical 
picture  stands  as  much  in  need  of  an  interpreter  as  an 
Indian  talk. 

Mrs.  Planton  has  painted  exceedingly  well,  but  has 
judged  very  ill.  In  another  respect,  also,  her  American 
feeling  has  betrayed  her  into  error.  She  has  painted 
a picture  of  the  largest  size  in  oil,  of  course  a picture 
calculated  for  duration,  and  forming  an  historical  rec- 
ord, to  represent  evanescent  feelings,  the  feelings  of 
unexpected  and,  of  course,  riotous  and  unreasonable 
triumph.  Britannia  is  represented  as  laying  her  flag, 
her  rudder  (emblems  of  naval  superiority),  her  laurels, 
and  other  symbols  of  victory  and  dominion,  at  the  feet 

205 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


of  America,  who  approaches  in  a triumphal  car.  She 
kneels  in  the  posture  of  an  humble  suppliant,  while  Her- 
cules and  Minerva  threaten  her  with  the  club  and  the 
spear:  all  this  is  caricature.  But  the  whole  of  this 
group,  excepting  Hercules,  is  admirably  painted.  The 
figure  of  Britannia  is  very  graceful  and  well  drawn,  and 
the  drapery  has  superior  merit.  The  group  on  the 
right  is  also  uncommonly  well  conceived  and  executed. 
The  whole  picture  does,  indeed,  infinite  credit  to  the 
artist  and  to  her  country,  for  she  is  a Philadelphian. 
The  great  fault  is  the  choice  of  the  subject,  for  the  sign- 
ing of  negotiation  of  a treaty,  as  a matter  of  fact,  can  at 
best  be  but  a collection  of  expressive  likenesses  of  per- 
sons writing  or  conversing,  and  has  nothing  picturesque 
about  it.  Strength,  fortitude,  courage,  and  some  good 
luck,  on  our  side,  were  not  wanting  to  “ conquer  the 
treaty,”  in  the  French  fashionable  phrase;  and  admi- 
rable talent  was  displayed  in  the  negotiation.  But  these 
are  not  very  well  paintable. 

As  to  allegory,  generally  it  is  a most  difficult  branch 
of  the  art  of  the  painter  and  sculptor,  and  belongs 
rather  to  the  poetical  department.  Yet  sometimes  the 
sculptor  and  painter  have  succeeded  in  rendering  senti- 
ment intelligible  by  the  chisel  and  pencil;  for  instance, 
in  the  personification  of  Peace,  by  Canova,  where  a pair 
of  doves  make  their  nest  in  a helmet. 

Some  years  ago  Dr.  Thornton,  of  Washington, 
described,  before  a large  company,  the  allegorical  group 

206 


PECULIAR  CUSTOMS 


which  it  was  his  intention,  as  commissioner  of  the  city 
of  Washington,  to  place  in  the  center  of  the  Capitol, 
around  the  statue  of  the  general. 

“ I would,”  said  he,  “ place  an  immense  rock  of 
granite  in  the  center  of  the  dome.  On  the  top  of  the 
rock  should  stand  a beautiful  female  figure,  to  represent 
Eternity  or  Immortality.  Around  her  neck,  as  a neck- 
lace, a serpent — the  rattlesnake  of  our  country — should 
be  hung,  with  its  tail  in  its  mouth — the  ancient  and 
beautiful  symbol  of  endless  duration.  At  the  foot  of 
the  rock  another  female  figure,  stretching  her  hands 
upward  in  the  attitude  of  distressful  entreaty,  should 
appear,  ready  to  climb  the  steep.  Around  her  a group 
of  children,  representing  Agriculture,  the  Arts  and 
Sciences,  should  appear  to  join  in  the  supplication  of  the 
female.  This  female  is  to  personify  Time,  or  our  pres- 
ent state  of  existence.  Just  ascending  the  rock,  the 
noble  figure  of  General  Washington  should  appear 
to  move  upward,  invited  by  Immortality,  but  also  ex- 
pressing some  reluctance  in  leaving  the  children  of 
his  care. 

“ There,”  said  he,  “ Mr.  Latrobe,  is  your  requisite 
in  such  works  of  art;  it  would  represent  a matter  of 
fact,  a truth,  for  it  would  be  the  very  picture  of  the 
general’s  sentiments,  feelings,  and  expectations  in  de- 
parting this  life — regret  at  leaving  his  people,  but  hop- 
ing and  longing  for  an  immortality  of  happiness  and 
of  fame.  You  yourself  have  not  ingenuity  sufficient 

207 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


to  pervert  its  meaning,  and  all  posterity  would  under- 
stand it.” 

The  doctor  was  so  full  of  his  subject  that  I was 
unwilling  to  disturb  his  good  humor;  but  I said  that 
I thought  his  group  might  tell  a very  different  story 
from  what  he  intended.  He  pressed  me  so  hard  that 
at  last  I told  him  that,  supposing  the  name  and 
character  of  General  Washington  to  be  forgotten, 
or  at  least  that  the  group  had  been  found  in  the 
ruins  of  the  Capitol,  and  the  learned  antiquarians  of 
two  thousand  years  hence  were  assembled  to  decide 
its  meaning,  I thought  then  that  they  would  thus 
explain  it: 

“ There  is  a beautiful  woman  on  the  top  of  a dan- 
gerous precipice,  to  which  she  invites  a man,  apparently 
well  enough  inclined  to  follow  her.  Who  is  this 
woman?  Certainly  not  a very  good  sort  of  a one,  for 
she  has  a snake  about  her  neck.  The  snake  indicates, 
assuredly,  her  character — cold,  cunning,  and  poisonous. 
She  can  represent  none  but  some  celebrated  courtesan 
of  the  day.  But  there  is  another  woman  at  the  foot 
of  the  rock,  modest  and  sorrowful,  and  surrounded  by 
a family  of  small  children.  She  is  in  a posture  of  en- 
treaty, and  the  man  appears  half-inclined  to  return  to 
her.  She  can  be  no  other  than  his  wife.  What  an 
expressive  group ! How  admirable  the  art  which  has 
thus  exposed  the  dangerous  precipice  to  which  the 
beauty  and  the  cunning  of  the  abandoned  would  entice 

208 


PECULIAR  CUSTOMS 


the  virtuous,  even  to  the  desertion  of  a beautiful  wife 
and  the  mother  of  a delightful  group  of  children ! ” 

I was  going  on,  but  the  laughter  of  the  company 
and  the  impatience  of  the  doctor  stopped  my  mouth. 
I had  said  enough,  and  was  not  easily  forgiven. 

March  22,  1819. 

New  Orleans,  beyond  Royal  Street  toward  the 
swamp,  retains  its  old  character  without  variation.  The 
houses  are,  with  hardly  a dozen  exceptions  among 
many  hundred,  one-story  houses.  The  roofs  are  high, 
covered  with  tiles  or  shingles,  and  project  five  feet  over 
the  footway,  which  is  also  five  feet  wide.  The  eaves, 
therefore,  discharge  the  water  into  the  gutters.  The 
height  of  the  stories  is  hardly  ten  feet,  the  elevation 
above  the  pavement  not  more  than  a foot  and  a half, 
and,  therefore,  the  eaves  are  not  often  more  than  eight 
feet  from  the  ground.  However  different  this  mode  is 
from  the  American  manner  of  building,  it  has  very 
great  advantages,  both  with  regard  to  the  interior  of 
the  dwelling  and  to  the  street.  In  the  summer  the 
walls  are  perfectly  shaded  from  the  sun  and  the  house 
kept  cool,  while  the  pedestrians  are  shaded  from  the 
sun  and  protected  from  the  rain.  From  my  lodging 
to  Mr.  Nolte’s  is  a distance  of  six  hundred  and  fifty 
feet,  independent  of  the  crossing  of  two  streets,  and 
yet  in  the  heaviest  rains  I can  walk  to  his  house  per- 
fectly dry,  excepting  for  about  two  hundred  feet  in 

209 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 

front  of  a dead  wall  and  some  high  houses  in  Toulouse 
Street. 

These  one-story  houses  are  very  simple  in  their 
plan.  The  two  front  rooms  open  into  the  street  with 
glass  French  doors.  Those  on  one  side  are  the  dining 
and  drawing-rooms,  the  others  chambers.  The  front 
rooms,  when  inhabited  by  Americans,  are  the  family 
rooms,  and  the  back  rooms  the  chambers.  We  derive 
from  the  English  the  habit  of  desiring  that  every  one 
of  our  rooms  should  be  separately  accessible,  and 
we  consider  rooms  that  are  thoroughfares  as  useless. 

' The  French  and  continental  Europeans  generally  live, 
I believe,  as  much  to  their  own  satisfaction  in  their 
houses  as  we  do  in  ours,  and  employ  the  room  they 
have  to  more  advantage,  because  they  do  not  require 
so  much  space  for  passages.  The  comfort  is  a matter 
of  habit.  The  offices  are  in  the  back  of  the  buildings. 

In  the  Faubourg  St.  Mary  and  wherever  the 
Americans  build  they  exhibit  their  flat  brick  fronts, 
with  a sufficient  number  of  holes  for  light  and  entrance. 
The  only  French  circumstance  which  they  retain  is  the 
balcony  in  the  upper  story,  which,  although  generally 
too  elevated  for  the  protection  of  the  passenger,  is  still 
a means  of  shade  as  far  as  it  goes.  The  French  stucco 
the  fronts  of  their  buildings,  and  often  color  them ; the 
Americans  exhibit  their  red,  staring  brickwork,  imbib- 
ing heat  through  the  whole  unshaded  substance  of  the 
wall.  The  old  English  side-passage  house,  with  the 


2 io 


PECULIAR  CUSTOMS 


stairs  at  the  end,  is  also  gaining  ground,  and  is  taking 
the  place  of  the  French  porte-cochere,  or  corridor, 
which,  carrying  you  quite  through  the  house,  leads  to  the 
staircase  at  the  back,  where  it  takes  up  no  room  from 
the  apartments,  and  is  protected  by  a broad  and  con- 
venient gallery. 

An  American  bricklayer,  a very  worthy  man,  con- 
sulted me  as  to  a house  he  has  built  for  himself  on 
the  London  plan.  I objected  to  many  parts  of  his 
design  as  contrary  to  every  principle  of  good  archi- 
tecture. Lie  could  not  well  answer  my  objections,  and 
at  last  cut  the  argument  short  by  exclaiming:  “ I have 
been  at  wrar  with  architecture  all  my  life,  and  will  con- 
tinue so  to  the  end,  having  all  New  York  in  my  favor.” 

I have  no  doubt  that  the  American  type  will  ulti- 
mately be  that  of  the  whole  city,  especially  as  carpenters 
from  the  Eastern  border  of  the  Union  are  the  architects, 
and  of  course  work  on  in  their  old  habits  for  men 
accustomed  to  these  very  sort  of  houses.  But  although 
room  may  be  thereby  gained,  the  convenience  of  the 
houses  will  by  no  means  be  promoted,  nor  the  health 
of  the  city  improved. 

The  streets  are,  in  the  city,  all  of  them,  thirty-six 
French  feet  wide  (about  thirty-eight  feet  six  inches 
English),  and  the  squares  (islets)  three  hundred  French 
(or  about  three  hundred  and  twenty  English)  feet 
square.  The  old  lots  are  sixty  French  feet  front  by  one 
hundred  and  twenty  deep.  In  the  Faubourg  St.  Mary 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


the  streets  are  wider;  but  in  that  of  Marigny,  the  same 
as  in  the  city.  Provision  is  made  for  several  public 
squares,  an  ornament  and  convenience  in  which  our  other 
cities  are  most  remarkably  deficient.  In  this  respect 
New  Orleans  will  always  maintain  its  superiority. 

Habit  governs  our  preferences  in  everything  so  ex- 
tensively, if  not  entirely,  that  it  is  a very  presumptuous 
man  indeed  who  undertakes  to  decide  on  the  positive 
merit  of  any  national  practice  in  which  morality  is  not 
concerned.  The  English  writers  of  the  most  candid 
and  enlightened  minds  have  been  more  guilty  of  this 
presumption  than  those  of  any  other  nation,  more  espe- 
cially when  the  question  has  been  about  anything  rela- 
tive to  France  and  Frenchmen.  One  of  the  most  de- 
lightful of  English  writers,  Goldsmith,  has  blotted  his 
elegant  pages  with  more  illiberality  toward  the  French 
than  any  other  respectable  English  author.  All  this  is 
to  be  regretted,  but  national  hatred  and  jealousy  seems 
to  be  implanted  in  the  very  essence  of  the  human  mind, 
and  is  considered  by  all  governments  to  be  so  essential 
a machine  in  the  management  of  a war  that  it  never 
will  be  corrected  entirely,  although  I think  that  since 
the  American  Revolution  somewhat  more  liberality 
prevails. 

But  there  are  national  sources  of  pleasure  which  are 
so  entirely  artificial  that  it  is  a fair  subject  of  inquiry 
whether  habit,  alone,  gives  to  them  their  fascination, 
whether  they  cannot  be  improved  or  corrected,  and 


212 


STREET  IN  NEW  ORLEANS. 


PECULIAR  CUSTOMS 


even  whether  they  are  not  so  far  founded  in  error  and 
prejudice  as  to  require  correction  for  the  benefit  of  the 
public  taste  generally. 

These  thoughts  were  suggested  some  time  ago  by 
the  French  tragedy  of  “ Mahomet,”  at  the  performance 
of  which  I wras  present,  and  by  the  perusal  of  many  of 
Moliere’s  comedies,  and  have  been  revived  by  stepping, 
a few  nights  ago,  into  the  Theater  of  St.  Philip  and 
listening  to  a tolerably  good  English  recitation  by  a 
Mr.  Philips. 

Mr.  Skipworth,  who  has  resided  many  years  in 
France,  accompanied  me,  and  I take  it  for  granted  that 
the  declamation  was  very  bad,  for  he,  who  is  almost 
a Frenchman,  declared  that  he  could  not  understand 
one-fourth  part  of  it.  I was  happy  if  I could  under- 
stand the  general  drift  of  what  was  going  forward, 
being  entirely  out  of  the  habit  of  hearing  or  speaking 
the  French  language.  And  yet  I observed  many  ladies, 
as  well  as  gentlemen,  who  were  much  affected  by  the 
scene,  and  the  piece  certainly  commanded  the  most 
silent  attention  of  the  whole  audience. 

So  much  has  been  said  and  written  on  the  subject 
of  the  French  rhymed  plays  that  nothing  new  remains 
to  be  discovered.  The  ridiculous  in  them  is  equal  to 
the  unnatural.  And  yet  to  this  day,  when  a revolution 
has  taken  place  in  many  very  prominent  habits  of  the 
whole  world,  Frenchmen  still  listen  in  rapture  to  the 
strings  of  declamation,  impossible  and  absurd  as  they 

213 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


are  as  representations  of  nature,  which  constitute  the 
tragedies  of  their  greatest  as  well  as  of  their  more 
moderate  writers.  The  nasal  terminations  of  the 
French  words,  and  the  latitude  of  rhyme  which  they 
allow  themselves  (in  turning  over  the  “ Henriade  ” I 
see  fenetre  rhymed  to  maitre , connaitre,  etc.,  etc.),  and 
the  distinctness  with  which  the  actors  impress  the  coup- 
lets upon  the  ear,  adds,  in  French,  an  effect  of  harsh- 
ness to  the  rhymed  declamation,  which  may  be  avoided 
in  English  and  in  German,  in  which  languages  a good 
declaimer  can  render  the  rhyme  scarcely  perceptible. 

Moliere,  as  far  as  I may  venture  to  judge,  after  so 
long  a disuse  of  the  French  language,  has  managed  his 
rhymed  speeches  with  great  dexterity.  But  he  is  won- 
derfully loose  in  his  rhyming,  I think,  which  in  comedy 
may  be  pardoned  and  perhaps  approved  as  slackening 
considerably  the  fetters  of  the  verse. 

I have  somewhere  or  other  either  read  or  imagined 
that  that  which  disgusts  and  shocks  us  in  waxwork, 
colored  and  dressed  to  the  life,  is  that  it  exactly  re- 
sembles living  men  and  women,  excepting  in  the  princi- 
pal evidence  of  life — motion.  On  a beautiful  statue 
we  look  with  delight,  because  we  see  in  everything  be- 
longing to  it,  in  its  color,  its  hardness,  the  evidence  that 
it  does  not  and  cannot  be  anything  but  a representation 
of  a living  form;  whereas  the  nearer  a figure  in  wax- 
work  resembles  a living  individual,  the  more  we  are 
embarrassed  by  its  presence,  while  we  are  deceived  to 

214 


PECULIAR  CUSTOMS 


believe  it  alive,  and  the  more  shocked  when  we  dis- 
cover that  it  is  really  dead.  Just  such  I might  sup- 
pose would  be  the  effect  of  a French  tragedy  on  one 
who  had  never  seen  or  heard  any  performance  of  the 
kind.  The  dress  and  scenery  would  first  deceive  him 
to  believe  that  the  scene  is  real;  but  the  moment  the 
actors  open  their  mouths  he  would  find  that  they  come 
from  another  world,  where  emperors  and  executioners, 
kings,  lackeys,  and  ladies  talk  and  make  love  and  com- 
mit murder,  and  abuse  one  another  in  measured  and 
rhymed  language.  On  the  other  hand,  when  a story 
written  in  verse,  even  in  dialogue,  is  read,  the  want  of 
dress  and  scenery  and  dramatic  action  has  the  same 
advantage  which  is  possessed  by  the  marble  statue. 
Nothing  resembling  the  business  of  the  world  in  all  its 
minute  details  is  expected;  the  mind  is  left  at  liberty 
to  admire  the  elegance  of  the  poetry  and  the  correct- 
ness of  the  rhyme  and  meter,  and  to  be  affected  by  the 
description  of  events  and  feelings.  It  creates  its  own 
scenery  around,  just  as  it  warms  the  cheeks  of  a marble 
Venus  with  blushes,  her  eyes  with  fire  and  color,  and 
her  skin  with  the  hue  and  velvet  of  life.  The  statue 
gives  you  nothing  but  the  form.  The  waxwork  pre- 
tends to  give  you  the  life,  and  the  employment  of  life 
with  the  form,  and  you  find  nothing  but  death  in  the 
mask  of  life.  So  the  French  tragedy  pretends  to  rep- 
resent real  men  and  women,  and  you  find  a race  you 
never  heard  of  before. 


17 


215 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


April  8,  1819. 

The  Holy  Week  is  here  celebrated  with  much  less 
pomp  than  formerly,  but  still  with  many  ceremonies 
that  do  not  well  accord  with  the  simplicity  of  the  Ameri- 
can character,  even  of  the  Catholic  religion  in  the  old 
United  States.  The  arrival  of  the  Missouri  with 
my  machinery  has  so  occupied  me  that  I have  been 
unable  to  attend  the  church  as  much  as  I wished. 
Every  year  clips  off  a little  more  of  the  old  Spanish 
regime.  The  Host  is  no  longer  carried  in  procession 
through  the  streets,  and  the  public  square  before  the 
church  is  not  any  more  the  parade  ground  of  the  clergy. 
The  business  is  all  done  within  the  walls  of  the  building. 

The  altar  has  been,  during  this  whole  week,  covered 
with  a black  drapery,  without  ornament.  On  Thursday 
I went  into  the  church  about  five  o’clock  in  the  evening. 
A temporary  piece  of  scenery  was  erected  at  the  end 
of  the  south  aisle,  which  covered  the  side  altar  at  that 
place.  The  side  altar  at  the  north  aisle  was  lighted 
up  and  a priest  was  officiating.  The  church  was  exces- 
sively crowded,  especially  about  the  door,  and  in  the 
south  aisle,  and  about  one  thousand  people  were  in  the 
square  fronting  the  church,  where,  indeed,  I had  ob- 
served a great  crowd  the  whole  day.  The  decoration 
at  the  end  of  the  south  aisle  consisted  of  a sort  of  gate. 
It  was  made  of  boards,  badly  painted  in  imitation  of 
marble.  The  steps  were  narrow  and  flat  and  not  in- 
tended for  use.  Four  rows  of  candles  and  five  of  flower- 

216 


PECULIAR  CUSTOMS 


pots,  with  very  bad  artificial  flowers,  stood  on  the  steps, 
and  a row  of  candles  on  the  balusters,  so  as  altogether  to 
look  like  what  the  children  would  call  a very  pretty  baby 
house  on  a large  scale.  Within  the  arch  was  an  altar 
covered  with  drapery  and  tinsel,  and  at  each  side  of 
the  altar  stood  a wax  doll,  about  the  size  of  a child  of 
five  or  six  years  old,  dressed  up  in  scarlet  and  a profu- 
sion of  tinsel.  Each  held  a candle  in  its  hand.  I could 
not  make  out  what  all  this  represented,  and  nobody 
that  I asked  could  inform  me.  On  one  side  of  the  altar 
is  a door.  This  door  was  shut  up  and  covered  with 
a white  muslin  curtain,  festooned  round  the  arch  and 
hanging  down  on  each  side.  Within  the  niche  was  an 
image  of  the  Virgin,  about  two  feet  high,  dressed  in 
black  velvet;  her  robe  was  drawn  out  on  each  side  and 
fastened  to  the  back  of  the  niche  so  as  to  give  the  whole 
figure  a triangular  shape.  A silver  embroidered  cross 
extended  from  her  chin  to  her  feet,  and  at  each  ear  she 
had  a large  silver  shell.  The  face  appeared  to  be  of 
wax.  This  figure  stood  upon  two  steps,  upon  an  ordi- 
nary table  covered  with  muslin,  with  a little  tinsel  about 
it  and  four  candles  burning  before  it. 

Before  these  two  altars  a carpet  was  spread,  upon 
the  edge  of  which  lay  a crucifix,  with  a figure  about  two 
feet  long,  and  two  tea-waiters. 

On  the  south  side  of  the  nave,  near  the  principal 
door  of  the  church,  was  placed  a common  small  table. 
Behind  it  was  a long  bench,  on  which  sat  an  old,  gray- 

217 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


headed  man  in  an  ordinary  and  rather  mean  dress,  and 
upon  the  table  stood  a crucifix.  The  cross  was  of  black 
wood  and  the  figure  painted  to  represent  flesh,  with  a 
gray  drapery  round  the  middle.  This  figure  was  ad- 
mirably executed,  but  on  this  very  account  was  a hor- 
rible object.  The  artist  had  represented  his  subject  so 
naturally  that  nothing  but  habit  could  reconcile  the 
eye  to  such  an  exhibition.  The  body  hung,  as  usual, 
by  nails  through  the  palms  of  the  hands.  The  sinews 
of  the  hands  and  arms  were  strained  to  the  utmost,  the 
fingers  open  and  the  flesh  swelled  and  puckered  by  the 
weight  hanging  to  it.  The  body  had  fallen  to  the  left 
side.  All  the  pectoral  muscles  strained  upward.  The 
head  sinking  into  the  cavity  of  the  collar  bones,  the 
legs  bending  again  to  the  right,  and  the  feet,  where 
nailed  to  the  body  of  the  cross,  twisted  upon  the  nails 
and  the  wounds  opening,  the  knees  bending  a little  for- 
ward— in  fact,  so  well  had  the  artist  studied  his  subject, 
and  so  naturally  was  the  bloody  and  death-colored  image 
painted,  that  nothing  but  habit  could  have  reconciled 
the  people  to  its  use. 

This  was  the  apparatus  of  the  ceremony  that  was 
going  on  the  whole  day.  The  people,  of  whom  three- 
fourths,  at  least,  were  colored,  and  of  those  a very 
large  majority  were  women  in  their  best  dresses, 
crowded  down  to  the  altar  at  the  bottom  of  the  south 
aisle,  and  after  crossing  themselves  they  knelt  down  and 
kissed  the  hands,  feet,  and  body  of  the  crucifix  which 

218 


PECULIAR  CUSTOMS 


lay  upon  the  carpet,  and  at  the  same  time  put  a piece 
of  money  into  the  waiters,  which,  when  I saw  them, 
were  heaped  with  bits  and  halfbits  (escalins  and  pica- 
yunes— six  and  a quarter  and  twelve  and  a half  cents), 
and  among  these  many  quarters  and  half-dollars,  and 
some  dollars. 

The  same  ceremony  of  kissing  the  image  was  going 
on  near  the  entrance  of  the  church,  where  there  was  a 
waiter  filled  with  money.  The  business  of  the  old  man 
seemed  to  be  twofold : to  guard  the  money  and  to  hold 
the  crucifix  steady.  On  each  side  of  the  other  crucifix 
at  the  altar  was  a soldier  in  uniform,  with  his  musket 
and  bayonet  fixed.  They  stood  on  the  carpet,  and 
a large  crowd  were  kneeling  around,  praying,  looking 
about  at  the  newcomers,  and  occasionally  laughing  and 
conversing  together  upon  their  knees. 

The  earnestness  and  devotion  with  which  the  dev- 
otees kissed  these  images  was  very  remarkable.  Most 
of  them  kissed  each  of  the  hands  and  the  feet,  but 
many  bestowed  their  kisses  also  upon  the  knees  and 
breast,  and  repeated  them  several  times.  Several  young 
women  appeared  to  mix  a sort  of  devotional  passion 
with  their  kisses,  and  one  woman,  after  getting  near 
the  door,  turned  back,  and  kissed  the  image  again 
most  passionately,  while  tears  were  running  down  her 
cheeks. 

As  to  the  contribution  of  money,  it  seemed  to  be 
optional,  for  I observed  many  who  gave  nothing. 

219 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 

April  9,  1819. 

I went,  about  twelve  this  morning,  to  the  church. 
The  scenery  at  the  end  of  the  south  aisle  was  removed, 
and  they  were  sweeping  the  building.  It  was  full  of 
dust,  and  yet  a large  concourse  were  in  it,  and  as  many 
on  the  outside.  The  crucifix  and  the  old  man  near  the 
door  were  still  there,  and  many  men  and  women,  all 
colored  people,  were  still  performing  the  ceremony  of 
kissing  it,  and  the  more  substantial  one  of  putting  money 
into  the  waiters.  Several  women  were  there  with  small 
children,  whose  little  mouths  they  put  to  the  hands  and 
feet  of  the  image. 

Although  the  Catholic  inhabitants  of  this  city  do 
business  on  Sunday  as  on  any  other  day,  yet  on  this 
day,  Good  Friday,  even  the  notaries  have,  to  my  great 
injury,  shut  up  their  offices;  and  the  police  officer  has 
summoned  one  of  my  carters  and  threatened  him  with 
a fine  of  fifty  dollars  for  hauling  lime  on  this  day. 

April  18,  1819. 

Before  I went  to  church  this  morning  I had  occa- 
sion to  go  to  the  upper  end  of  the  Faubourg  St.  Mary. 
A Sunday  in  New  Orleans  may  be  pretty  well  under- 
stood by  recounting  the  various  sights  that  occur  in  such 
a walk.  For  instance: 

After  taking  leave  of  two  friends  who  accompanied 
me  as  far  as  the  levee,  and  conversed  on  the  relative 
merits  of  the  different  flags  which  were  flying  on  board 


220 


PECULIAR  CUSTOMS 


the  numerous  ships  along  the  shore,  I bought  three 
oranges  for  a bit  (twelve  and  a half  cents)  of  a black 
woman,  and  watched  the  mooring  of  a market  boat 
which  carried  the  broad  pennant  of  Napoleon.  Out 
of  the  boat  came  ashore  a basket  of  pecan  nuts,  twenty 
or  thirty  wild  ducks  of  different  sorts,  rather  too  late 
in  the  season,  a great  quantity  of  carrots,  and  some 
sugar  cane.  The  boat  was  principally  loaded  with  corn. 
On  the  cabin  was  a coop,  well  filled  with  poultry,  and 
in  it  two  black  women  in  madras  turbans,  and  gowns 
stripped  with  scarlet  and  yellow.  Round  their  necks 
a plentiful  assortment  of  bead  necklaces — in  fact,  they 
were  in  full  dress.  The  man  who  seemed  to  be  the 
owner  was  an  old  sunburned  creole,  slovenly  in  his 
whole  appearance;  and  two  old  black  men,  in  blanket 
frocks  with  pointed  hoods  (capots),  were  the  navi- 
gators, and  were  carrying  the  cargo  ashore,  with  many 
a curse  at  being  so  late  at  market  (ten  o’clock).  A 
little  farther  on  were  three  drunken  Indians  who  af- 
forded sport  to  several  boys  that  surrounded  them. 
Then  half  a dozen  Kentuckians,  dirty,  savage,  and 
gigantic,  who  were  selling  a horse  or  two  to  a group 
of  genteel-looking  men,  who  spoke  English.  Being 
now  arrived  near  the  steamboats,  everything  like  busi- 
ness seemed  suspended,  and  the  levee  was  full  of  per- 
sons, well  dressed,  without  any  apparent  object  but  to 
take  the  air.  I left  the  levee  and  walked  along  the 
houses  on  the  old  levee.  Here  some  sailors  were  buy- 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


ing,  in  a French  shop,  of  a black  shopwoman,  slops, 
and  trying  on  their  pantaloons,  she  helping  them. 
Many  shops  shut  up,  but  some  open  and  doing  business. 
At  last,  as  the  houses  became  thinner,  I reached  my 
destination,  which  was  to  call  on  a gentleman  by  ap- 
pointment. I stayed  some  time  with  him,  during  which 
we  sat  in  the  gallery  and  saw  two  ships  come  to  at  the 
levee — a very  beautiful  view.  Returning,  to  avoid  the 
dust,  into  Magazin  Street,  I called,  in  passing,  at  Mr. 
Brand’s  to  inquire  after  Mrs.  Brand,  who  is  sick.  I 
found  him  going  to  church,  with  some  others.  Passing 
Mr.  Morgan’s,  I overtook  another  church  party.  On 
the  steps  of  a store,  a little  farther  on,  lay  two  boat- 
men, drunk  and  half-asleep,  swearing  in  English  at 
some  boys  who  were  teasing  them.  Going  along  the 
Levee  Street,  I encountered  a large  group  of  colored 
gentlemen  and  ladies,  who  seemed  to  be  about  to  sepa- 
rate. I stopped  for  a moment  to  listen  to  a pretty  loud 
conversation,  and  found  that  a blackish  sort  of  mulatto 
was  discussing  the  merits  of  a new  priest  who  has  a 
very  fine  voice.  A cream-colored  lady  differed  from 
him,  and  gave  the  preference  to  one  of  the  other  priests, 
“ qui  a la  voix  si  forte  et  si  haute  comme  une  cloche; 
mon  Dieu!  comme  une  cloche,  si  haute.r>  Other  opin- 
ions were  given  in  creole  French,  and  were  unintelligible 
to  me.  These  folks,  then,  came  from  church;  and,  by 
the  bye,  these  singers,  or  musical  reciters,  had  treated 
them  to  a chapter  or  two  of  Latin.  The  voice,  there- 


222 


PECULIAR  CUSTOMS 


fore,  was  the  only  subject  of  discussion,  for  to  them 
it  was  certainly  vox,  et  praterea  nihil. 

It  was  now  eleven  o’clock,  and  I went  myself  to 
Mr.  Hull’s  church,  following  many  a group  who  were 
directing  their  steps  thither  also.  The  church  service 
was  just  beginning;  the  prayers  always  excellent;  the 
music  more  than  tolerable,  and  the  sermon  very  well 
composed  and  delivered.  The  church  was  just  full.  I 
left  the  church  with  the  congregation.  In  Bourbon 
Street,  passed  a cooper  who  was  at  work  with  some 
mulatto  boys.  He  was  scolding  them  in  very  good  Eng- 
lish. A little  farther  along,  passed  a shoemaker’s. 
The  house  had  a door,  and  a wide  window  on  each  side 
of  it.  All  were  well  open.  Opposite  to  one  window 
sat  a broad-faced,  dark  mulatto,  on  his  bench.  His 
sleeves  were  rolled  up  to  his  elbows,  and  he  sat  with 
a very  large  draughtboard  on  his  knees;  and  facing  him, 
on  another  shoemaker’s  bench,  sat  a good-looking,  well- 
dressed  white  man,  apparently  eighteen  or  nineteen, 
with  his  hat  on,  who  was  playing  at  draughts  with  him. 
They  seemed  to  be  arguing,  on  terms  of  perfect  equality, 
some  knotty  point  of  the  game.  Opposite  to  the  open 
door  stood  a white  woman,  with  a gaudily  dressed  child, 
having  a large  hat  and  feathers  on  his  head,  in  her 
arms.  She  looked  as  if  much  interested  in  the  dis- 
cussion. The  other  window  discovered  four  boys  and 
an  enormous  man,  all  black,  hard  at  work  at  their 
trade. 


T 


223 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 

At  the  corner  of  Bourbon  and  St.  Louis  stood  a 
boy  of  about  fifteen  or  sixteen  years  old,  with  his 
fowling  piece  and  hunting  net,  and  some  gentlemen  were 
examining  its  contents.  It  contained  a mocking  bird, 
a red  bird  (the  Virginia  nightingale),  a heron  (Indian 
hen),  and  a number  of  small  martins.  This  shooting 
is  the  common  sport  of  the  young  creoles  on  Sunday, 
but  it  is  to  be  regretted  that  the  war  should  be  carried 
on  at  this  season,  to  destroy  the  melody  of  the  woods 
and  interrupt  the  connubial  happiness  of  birds  that 
cannot  be  eaten. 

I turned  down  St.  Louis  Street,  and  on  coming  near 
the  French  coffee-house,  I heard  the  blow  of  the  cue 
and  the  rebound  of  billiard  balls  upstairs.  The  coffee- 
house was  full.  I came  home  then,  and  in  a short  time 
was  called  upon  by  three  tall  Kentuckians,  who  came  to 
make  contracts  for  logs;  and  as  they  were  to  go  up 
the  river  the  next  morning,  I attended  to  their  business, 
which  occupied  me  till  dinner.  I walked  downstairs 
with  them,  and  as  I stood  at  the  gate  of  the  corridor 
there  passed  a cabriolet,  or  chair,  in  which  was  a white 
man  and  a bright  quadroon  woman  holding  an  umbrella 
out  of  the  chair,  the  hood  of  which  was  up.  A ragged 
black  boy  sat  at  their  feet  and  drove,  and  a girl  of 
thirteen  or  fourteen  years  old  sat  up  on  the  trunk  board 
behind. 


224 


CHAPTER  XI 


LOUISIANA  LIMITATIONS 

April  25,  1819. 

F 1 MAKING  a peep  into  the  cathedral,  en  passant 
this  morning,  I observed  an  old  black  woman 
by  herself  before  one  of  the  altars,  on  her 
knees,  and  her  body  bent  to  the  earth.  She  had  drawn 
away  her  clothes  from  under  her  in  such  a way  as  to 
kneel  on  the  bare  bricks,  which  are  exceedingly  rough 
and  broken.  She  was  much  too  old  and  ugly  to  be 
suspected  of  having  incurred  the  penance  she  was  suf- 
fering for  any  such  sin  as  a younger  penitent  might 
have  committed;  and  it  would  not  be  easy  to  imagine 
what  actual  and  injurious  breach  of  morality  she  had 
disclosed  in  the  confessional  which  could  have  deserved 
its  infliction.  Perhaps  she  had  eaten  a little  meat  in 
Holy  Week,  or  on  Friday,  or  broken  some  other  pre- 
cept of  mere  discipline. 

Of  the  astonishing  and  rigorous  despotism  which 
religious  opinions  exercise  over  the  imagination  not  only 
of  old  black  women,  but  of  men  otherwise  of  strong 
and  cultivated  minds,  there  is  hardly  any  more  curious 

225 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


example  than  that  of  the  restrictions  submitted  to  in 
respect  to  diet.  If,  for  the  first  time,  the  Christian 
world  were  told  that  the  Almighty  Creator  of  the  uni- 
verse would  doom  to  everlasting  perdition,  or  even  to 
purgatory,  every  one  that  should  eat  meat  on  particular 
days,  but  that  he  would  except  a very  delicious  kind  of 
duck  called  a mallard  ( sarcelle ) and  also  the  eggs  of 
all  sorts  of  birds  from  his  prohibition,*  the  preacher 
of  such  absurdity  would  be  ranked  with  Richard 
Brothers  and  Jemima  Wilkinson,  or  perhaps  be  sent  to 
the  lunatic  hospital.  And  yet  the  force  of  example 
and  general  practice  aids  the  inculcation  of  this  belief 
by  the  Catholic  priests,  so  as  to  make  it  as  powerful  in 
its  effect  upon  the  minds  of  all  good  Catholics  as  the 
plainest  rule  of  common  sense. 

Mr.  Wilmer,  the  Episcopal  clergyman  of  Alexan- 
dria, in  Virginia,  once  told  at  my  house  a story,  for  the 
truth  of  which  his  character  is  a certain  pledge. 

He  was  riding  alone  over  the  Allegheny  Moun- 
tains, when  he  was  overtaken  by  a well-dressed  man  on 
a good  horse,  who,  with  the  familiarity  of  our  back- 
woodsmen, proposed  to  join  his  company.  The  man 
seemed  extremely  grave,  and  his  conversation  was 
abrupt  and  unconnected.  He  had  evidently  something 
upon  his  mind  which  distressed  him.  Mr.  Wilmer  at 

* The  sarcelle , which  abounds  in  the  neighborhood  of  New  Orleans,  is  a small 
duck,  considered  to  be  the  most  delicate  of  the  many  kinds  which  are  brought 
to  market.  It  has  been  decided  to  be  maigre , and  is  eaten  on  fast  days,  as  fish  and 
eggs  are. 


226 


LOUISIANA  LIMITATIONS 

last  asked  him  whether  he  had  met  with  any  misfor- 
tune that  could  be  the  occasion  of  his  apparent  melan- 
choly. The  man  told  him  that  that  was  actually  the 
case.  He  said  that  he  had  rode  that  morning  from  a 
great  distance;  that  he  had  left  his  home,  in  the  lower 
part  of  Maryland,  about  ten  days  before,  and,  having 
much  business  to  do  before  he  could  cross  the  moun- 
tain, he  had  been  almost  always  on  horseback,  and  had 
not  kept  a very  strict  account  of  the  days  of  the  week; 
that  the  week  before  he  had  arrived,  fatigued  and 
hungry,  at  a tavern,  where  they  were  just  sitting  down 
to  a most  excellent  dinner;  that  he  was  asked  to  join 
the  dinner  company,  and,  totally  forgetting  that  it  was 
Friday,  he  had  eaten  a most  plentiful  dinner  of  all 
sorts  of  meat;  that  he  had  been  extremely  unhappy  and 
miserable  as  soon  as  he  had  recollected  the  terrible  sin 
which  he  had  committed,  but  no  priest  resided  near 
to  whom  to  confess  and  from  whom  to  receive  absolu- 
tion; that  he  had  traveled  on,  resolving  never  to  be 
again  similarly  guilty,  and  had  a few  hours  ago  arrived 
at  Cumberland,  at  the  foot  of  the  Allegheny  Moun- 
tains. His  mind  had  been  filled  all  the  week  with  peni- 
tent ideas  and  pious  resolutions  not  again  to  commit 
a similar  breach  of  duty;  and  when  he  entered  Cumber- 
land he  was  fully  aware  of  the  sacrifice  he  had  to  make 
this  day,  Friday,  of  his  appetite  to  his  religious  obliga- 
tions. But  alas!  the  enemy  was  all  the  while  watching 
for  his  fall.  He  came  into  the  dinner  room  fatigued, 

227 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 

hungry,  and  his  head  full  of  the  business  he  had  to 
transact.  He  was  accosted  by  an  acquaintance,  and  en- 
tered into  conversation.  Never  was  his  appetite  keener, 
nor  a good  solid  dinner  more  welcome.  He  ate  and  ate, 
and  thought  he  never  could  have  enough.  At  last  he 
was  satisfied;  but  scarcely  had  he  swallowed  the  last 
morsel  before  the  recollection  of  the  day  rushed  upon 
him,  and  he  was  the  most  miserable  of  men.  He  feared 
he  never  could  be  forgiven.  Mr.  Wilmer  happened 
at  that  moment  to  open  his  great  coat  and  to  exhibit 
his  clerical  dress  under  it.  The  man  saw  it.  “ Good 
God!  ” cried  he,  “ and  you  are  a priest!  ” He  slipped 
from  his  hor^e  and  kneeled  down  in  the  road.  But  Mr. 
Wilmer  begged  him  to  rise,  told  him  he  was  a priest, 
but  that  he  was  a Protestant,  or  what  he  might  call 
a heretic  priest,  and  would  prescribe  to  him  no  penance. 
The  man  got  up  again,  half-comforted,  half-ashamed; 
and  during  the  rest  of  the  journey  Mr.  Wilmer  suc- 
ceeded pretty  well  in  persuading  him  that  u To  enjoy 
is  to  obey.” 

A very  disagreeable  circumstance  is  of  daily  occur- 
rence in  the  neighborhood  of  the  city  and  along  the 
levee.  It  is  the  abominable  squealing  of  ungreased  cart- 
wheels. With  the  unpleasant  noise,  there  are  many 
ideas  connected  that  render  it  still  more  unpleasant — 
the  difficulty  in  dragging  the  carriage,  to  which  the  oxen 
are  unnecessarily  subjected,  the  barbarous  state  of  the 
commonest  arts  among  the  planters,  and  the  thick  ears 

228 


LOUISIANA  LIMITATIONS 


and  idleness  of  the  savage  slaves  that  drive.  But,  in 
fact,  these  ungreased  and  screaming  cartwheels  are 
neither  an  indication  of  idleness  nor  of  ignorance,  but 
are  a legacy  left  to  the  country  by  the  Spaniards,  and 
they  still  scream  in  obedience  to  a positive  law  of  the 
Spanish  Government.  Incredible  as  this  may  seem,  it 
is  true.  I should  have  taken  the  whole  relation  for  a 
hoax  had  I not  received  it  from  Judge  Hale,  as  well 
as  from  other  sources. 

The  case  is  this.  There  is  no  country  so  favorably 
situated  as  to  the  facility  of  smuggling  as  Louisiana. 
Innumerable  bayous,  or  creeks,  lead  from  the  ocean  to 
the  back  of  the  narrow  strips  of  cultivatable  land  on 
each  side  of  the  Mississippi.  Into  these  bayous  the 
contraband  goods  can  be  easily  brought,  but  they  must 
be  carried  from  the  swamps  in  wheel  carriages,  a dis- 
tance of  from  one  to  two  or  three  miles.  If  the  wheels 
of  the  carts  were  greased  this  part  of  the  business  might 
be  carried  on  in  perfect  silence.  Therefore  it  is  ordered 
that  all  carts  shall  remain  ungreased,  and  that  they  shall 
scream,  in  order  that  they  may  give  notice  to  the  rev- 
enue officers  of  the  illegal  traffic  that  is  going  on,  and 
thus  become  informers  against  their  owners.  A round- 
about way,  in  more  senses  than  one,  this,  of  obtaining 
information.  The  greased  carts — that  is,  carts  that 
did  not  scream — were  liable  to  seizure.  Such  a revenue 
regulation  is,  indeed,  worthy  of  the  ingenuity  of  the 
Spanish  Government.  No  other  would  have  thought  of 

229 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


it.  The  framers  thereof  did  not  know  that  a negro, 
with  a gallon  of  water  at  each  wheel  gradually  poured 
upon  it,  would  as  effectually  prevent  the  wheel  from 
screaming  as  if  it  were  as  well  greased  as  possible.  The 
cart  might  at  any  time  be  examined  without  betraying 
the  smuggler. 

May  4,  1819. 

In  going  home  to  my  lodgings  this  evening,  about 
sunset,  I encountered  a crowd  of  at  least  two  hundred 
negroes — men  and  women — who  were  following  a 
corpse  to  the  cemetery.  Of  the  women  one-half,  at 
least,  carried  candles;  and  as  the  evening  began  to  be 
dark,  the  effect  was  very  striking,  for  all  the  women, 
and  many  of  the  men,  were  dressed  in  pure  white.  The 
funerals  are  so  numerous  here,  or  rather  occupy  so 
much  of  every  afternoon,  in  consequence  of  their  being, 
almost  all  of  them,  performed  by  the  same  set  of  priests, 
proceeding  from  the  same  parish  church,  that  they  ex- 
cite hardly  any  attention.  But  this  was  so  numerously 
attended  that  I was  tempted  to  follow  it;  and,  getting 
just  in  a line  with  the  priests,  I entered  the  churchyard 
with  them  and  placed  myself  close  to  the  grave.  The 
grave  was  about  three  feet  deep,  of  which  eighteen 
inches  were  filled  with  water.  It  had  been  dug  in  a 
mass  of  earth  and  bones  which  formed  a little  hillock 
by  its  side.  Ten  or  twelve  skulls  were  piled  up  upon 
the  heap,  which  looked  more  like  a heap  of  sticks,  so 

230 


LOUISIANA  LIMITATIONS 


numerous  were  the  ribs  and  thigh  bones  that  partly 
composed  it.  As  soon  as  the  priests,  who  were  five  in 
number,  had  entered  the  cemetery,  preceded  by  three 
boys  carrying  the  usual  pair  of  urns  and  crucifix  on 
staves,  they  began  their  chant,  lazily  enough,  and  con- 
tinued it  till  they  arrived  at  the  grave.  The  coffin  was 
then  brought  and  immediately  let  down.  It  swam  like 
a boat  in  the  water.  The  priest  began  his  prayers. 
In  the  meantime  a great  crowd  of  women  pressed  close 
to  the  grave,  making  very  loud  lamentations.  At  a 
particular  passage  the  gravedigger,  who  was  a little, 
gray-headed  negro,  naked,  excepting  as  to  a pair  of 
ragged,  short  breeches,  threw  a shovelful  of  earth  upon 
the  coffin,  and  at  the  same  instant  one  of  the  negro 
women,  who  seemed  more  particularly  affected,  threw 
herself  into  the  grave  upon  the  coffin,  and  partly  fell 
into  the  water,  as  the  coffin  swam  to  one  side.  The 
gravedigger,  with  very  little  ceremony,  thrust  his  shovel 
under  her,  and  then  seized  her  with  both  hands  round 
the  throat  and  pulled  her  up,  while  others  took  hold 
of  her  legs  and  arms,  and  she  was  presently  removed. 
On  the  heap  of  bones  stood  a number  of  boys,  who  then 
began  to  amuse  themselves  by  throwing  in  the  skulls, 
which  made  a loud  report  on  the  hollow  coffin,  and  the 
whole  became  a sort  of  farce  after  the  tragedy,  the 
boys  throwing  about  the  legs  and  thighs  and  hunting 
up  the  skulls  for  balls  to  pelt  each  other.  The  noise 
and  laughter  was  general  by  the  time  the  service  was 
18  231 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


over.  The  women  near  the  grave  each  plucked  up 
a little  grass  before  they  returned. 

I went  out  in  the  midst  of  the  confusion  and  asked 
one  of  the  mourners  in  white,  who  was  talking  intelli- 
gible French  to  her  companions,  who  the  person  was 
who  seemed  to  be  so  much  honored  and  lamented  by  her 
own  color.  She  told  me  that  she  was  a very  old  African 
(Kongo)  negress,  belonging  to  Madam  Fitzgerald,  and 
that  most  of  those  who  followed  her  to  the  grave  were 
her  children,  grandchildren,  great-grandchildren,  their 
husbands,  wives,  and  companions.  I asked  if  her  grand- 
daughter, who  threw  herself  into  the  grave,  could  pos- 
sibly have  felt  such  excessive  distress  at  the  death  of 
an  old  woman  who  before  her  death  was  almost  child- 
ish, and  was  supposed  to  be  above  one  hundred  years 
old,  as  to  be  tired  of  her  own  life.  She  shrugged  her 
shoulders  two  or  three  times,  and  then  said,  “ Je  n'en 
sais  rien , cela  est  une  maniere .” 

This  assemblage  of  negroes  was  an  instance  of  the 
light  in  which  the  quadroons  view  themselves.  There 
were  none  that  I observed  but  pitch-black  faces. 


MOSQUITOES  AT  NEW  ORLEANS 

Brig  Emma,  September  29,  1819. 
There  is  a charm  in  mountainous,  barren  countries 
that  has  attached  the  inhabitants  of  all  such  countries, 
in  all  ages,  to  their  home.  Mountains  and  rocks  are  the 

232 


VIEW  OF  THE  BALIZE  AT  THE  MOUTH  OF  THE  MISSISSIPPI. 


LOUISIANA  LIMITATIONS 


theme  of  poetry,  while  little  is  said  in  praise  of  flat- 
lands,  let  them  have  ever  so  much  the  advantages  of 
fertility  and  convenience  of  locomotion;  for,  although 
the  Dutch  appear  to  have  loved  the  marshes  of  Batavia 
and  Communipaw  on  account  of  their  resemblance  to 
Holland,  their  preference  has  been  a preference  of  cal- 
culation and  habit — a sentiment  without  a spark  of  the 
enthusiasm  felt  by  a Swiss. 

And  yet  there  are  circumstances  of  convenience  be- 
longing to  flat  countries,  and  of  inconvenience  insepa- 
rable from  mountainous  tracts,  which  render  the  former 
desirable  residences  for  the  agriculturist,  the  lazy  and 
rich  that  ride  in  their  carriages,  and  those  advanced  in 
life,  who  have  left  off  climbing.  Such  a country  is 
Louisiana.  Its  capacity  to  yield  or  to  receive,  by  its 
unparalleled  ease  of  communication  with  hotter  and 
with  colder  climates,  every  necessary  and  every  luxury 
of  life  that  this  earth  produces,  might  make  it  one  of 
the  most  delightful  abodes  of  affluence  and  elegance  in 
the  world  were  it  not  for  the  mosquitoes.  I say  noth- 
ing of  the  yellow  fever,  because  I believe  that  this 
calamity  may  be  moderated,  if  not  entirely  eradicated, 
by  a good  medical  police,  and  under  a better  under- 
standing of  its  origin  and  treatment  than  now  prevails 
at  New  Orleans.  But  the  pest  inseparable  from  the 
locality  of  New  Orleans,  which  no  human  effort  can 
extirpate,  is  the  mosquitoes.  A few  are  found  every 
warm  day  throughout  the  year;  but  from  June  to  the 

233 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 

middle  of  October,  or  beginning  of  November,  their 
swarms  are  incredible. 

This  year  (1819)  is  said  to  have  been  by  far  the 
most  remarkable  for  mosquitoes  within  the  memory  of 
man.  Whether  the  extreme  mildness  of  the  winter  of 
1818-19,  or  the  constant  rains  of  July,  August,  and 
the  beginning  of  September  have  occasioned  this,  I 
will  not  pretend  to  decide.  Probably  both  have  had 
much  effect;  the  former,  by  permitting  the  larvae  to 
live,  the  latter  by  filling  all  hollows  with  water  through- 
out the  city  and  country,  and  providing  breeding  places 
for  them  over  the  whole  surface  of  the  land. 

The  mosquitoes  are  so  important  a body  of  enemies 
that  they  furnish  a considerable  part  of  the  conversation 
of  every  day  and  of  everybody;  they  regulate  many 
family  arrangements;  they  prescribe  the  employment 
and  distribution  of  time,  and  most  essentially  affect  the 
comforts  and  enjoyments  of  every  individual  in  the 
country.  To  observe  them  minutely,  therefore,  is  natu- 
ral enough  to  an  inquisitive  mind;  and,  in  a long  con- 
finement to  my  room,  I have  had  ample  opportunity  of 
becoming  acquainted  with  them. 

From  January  to  the  beginning  of  June  the  mos- 
quitoes can  well  be  borne.  They  are  not  very  trouble- 
some, appearing  only  in  moderate  numbers.  From 
June,  and  especially  from  the  beginning  of  July,  till  the 
weather  becomes  cold,  in  October  and  November,  they 
literally  fill  the  air  from  sunset  to  sunrise ; and  in  August 

234 


LOUISIANA  LIMITATIONS 


and  September  they  are  troublesome  even  in  the  day- 
time. 

I have  observed  four  distinct  species  of  this  insect 
in  my  chamber.  Those  that  first  made  their  appearance 
were  black,  exactly,  in  their  song,  size,  and  every  other 
respect,  similar  to  the  common  mosquito  of  our  Eastern 
marshes.  Then  succeeded  another  kind,  the  legs  of 
which  were  ringed  with  white,  like  the  tail  of  a raccoon. 
Of  this  species  there  seemed  to  be  a variety,  much  less 
in  size,  but  in  all  other  respects  exactly  similar  to  the 
larger  kind.  The  note  of  these  spotted  mosquitoes  is 
very  similar  to  the  first  mentioned,  but  somewhat 
shriller.  The  third  kind  is  a little  larger  than  either  of 
the  others.  They  are  of  a shining  black,  gaunt,  and 
have  remarkably  large  eyes  and  long  legs.  Their  note 
is  shrill  and  loud,  and  their  sting  severe.  The  fourth 
kind  are  very  small,  ash-colored,  and  have  a whistling 
note  easily  distinguished  from  the  others.  I have  not 
seen  the  kind  called  “ gallinippers,”  said  to  be  half  an 
inch  long  and  to  be  very  poisonous. 

As  soon  as  the  sun  sets,  the  mosquitoes  appear  in 
clouds  and  fill  every  room  in  the  house,  as  well  as  the 
open  air.  Their  noise  is  so  loud  as  to  startle  a stranger 
at  its  daily  recurrence.  It  fills  the  air,  and  there  is  a 
character  of  occasional  depression  and  elevation  in  it, 
like  that  of  a concert  of  frogs  in  a marsh.  There  may 
also  be  distinguished,  I think,  four  or  five  leading 
voices  that  are  occasionally  swelled  and  intermitted; 

235 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


in  fact,  the  whole  music  has  the  effect  of  being  per- 
formed by  unanimous  concert.  This  noise  and  the 
activity  of  these  pestiferous  animals  last  about  an  hour, 
when  they  abate  and  almost  cease.  The  buzzing  may, 
however,  be  heard  through  the  whole  night  until  day- 
break, when  the  general  outcry  again  begins,  more 
loudly,  I think,  than  in  the  evening,  and  continues  till 
the  sun  has  risen,  when  it  ceases  and  no  more  is  heard, 
and  little  felt,  till  the  approach  of  the  night.  There 
are  other  singular  circumstances  attending  these  animals. 
At  sunset  a black  hat  appears  to  have  particular  at- 
tractions for  them.  If  a group  of  men  stand  together 
on  the  levee,  those  who  wear  black  hats  are  seen  with 
a column  of  innumerable  mosquitoes  ascending  upward 
above  their  hats;  those  in  white  hats  are  not  so  dis- 
tinguished. They  appear  to  have  a means  of  discover- 
ing their  food  at  a distance.  In  the  daytime,  if  you 
throw  yourself  upon  a bed,  or  sit  down,  very  few  mos- 
quitoes, if  any,  surround  you.  But  in  a quarter  of  an 
hour  they  appear  to  discover  you,  and  presently  attack 
you  in  increasing  swarms. 

What  becomes  of  them  in  the  daytime,  in  houses, 
I can  hardly  tell.  But  they  appear  to  hide  in  every  dark 
hole  they  can  find,  and  especially  in  pitchers  and  vessels 
that  contain  moisture,  into  which  they  lay  innumerable 
eggs.  Pitchers  of  water  that  have  passed  through  the 
dripstone,  and  appear  as  clear  as  crystal  in  the  evening, 
will  be  found  to  have  a sediment  in  the  bottom,  of 

236 


LOUISIANA  LIMITATIONS 


the  appearance  of  black  mud.  In  a day  this  mud 
assumes  the  character  of  sand,  and  in  a day  or  two 
more  the  water  is  filled  with  the  living  larvae  of 
the  mosquito.  Most  of  the  mosquitoes  that  infest 
the  houses  are  thus  bred  in  the  rain-water  casks  and 
wells,  and  when  (as  was  the  case  in  Philadelphia)  the 
city  shall  be  supplied  with  water  by  pipes,  the  evil 
may  probably  be  considerably  lessened,  at  least  in 
the  city. 

The  numbers,  the  minuteness,  and  the  activity  of 
these  enemies  to  repose  render  any  warfare  against 
them,  that  is  not  merely  defensive,  impossible.  But  a 
defensive  war  is  very  practicable,  and  may  be,  in  a great 
measure,  successful.  The  business  of  the  greatest  im- 
portance is  to  secure  yourself  against  their  attacks  dur- 
ing sleep.  The  common  mosquito  bar  effects  this  most 
completely.  It  consists  of  curtains,  reaching  from  the 
tester  nearly  to  the  floor,  which  surround  the  bed  in 
one  piece,  connected  by  a cover,  or  top  piece,  so  that  the 
mosquito  bar  is  a kind  of  a box  without  a bottom.  The 
best  kind  of  a mosquito  bar  is  furnished  all  around  the 
top  with  rings.  The  rings  slide,  as  in  a common  set  of 
curtains,  upon  light  iron  rods  on  each  side  of  the 
bed.  Another  pair  of  iron  rods  run  through  the  rings 
at  the  head  and  foot  of  the  tester,  and  draw  along  the 
side  rods  when  the  bar  is  collected  and  drawn  up  to 
the  head  or  foot.  If  the  bar  be  collected  at  the  foot 
of  the  bed,  all  the  mosquitoes  that  have  accidentally 

237 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


entered  it  can  be  easily  destroyed  or  driven  out  every 
morning.  It  is  easy  to  slip  under  the  bar  at  night 
without  admitting  any,  and  there  is  an  indescribably 
pleasant  sense  of  security  in  hearing  their  clamor  on 
the  outside  without  the  possibility  of  being  annoyed 
by  them. 

The  bars  are  made  either  of  coarse,  open  canvas, 
French  lino  (which  are  the  best),  open  and  figured 
gauze  (which  are  the  most  handsome),  and  most  fre- 
quently of  check  muslin,  which  are,  I believe,  the 
cheapest. 

The  best  defense  during  the  day  are  light  boots, 
loose  pantaloons,  and  thin  gloves.  The  face  soon  be- 
comes accustomed  to  them,  and  they  are  also  easily 
driven  off.  Ladies  and  gentlemen  who  suffer  their 
stings  rather  than  bear  a little  additional  warmth  suffer 
exceedingly  about  the  ankles.  But  I know  creole  ladies 
who,  with  bare  necks  and  bosoms  and  short  petticoats, 
pretend  to  or  actually  do  not  perceive  them,  and,  in 
fact,  appear  to  suffer  very  little  from  them.  Several 
of  my  friends,  lawyers  and  other  studious  men,  put  up 
in  their  offices  a kind  of  safe,  or  frame,  covered  with 
gauze  or  lino,  large  enough  to  contain  a table  and 
chair,  and  write  till  late  at  night  in  perfect  security. 
There  is  room  to  carry  this  mode  of  security  to  much 
greater  extent,  and  to  render  it  applicable  to  companies, 
as  well  as  to  adorn  it  with  elegance. 


238 


LOUISIANA  LIMITATIONS 


YELLOW  FEVER 

Medical  practitioners  have  so  differed  and  disputed 
with  one  another  on  the  subject  of  the  yellow  fever 
that  the  contest  appears  to  give  some  right  to  the 
profane,  the  uninitiated,  to  maintain  opinions  of  their 
own;  and,  as  in  matters  of  theological  dogmatism, 
to  await  the  issue  of  the  wrangling  of  doctors  be- 
fore they  put  implicit  faith  in  the  tenets  of  either 
party. 

When  I was  in  Philadelphia  during  the  fever 
epidemics  of  1798  and  1799,  which  were  both  of  com- 
paratively moderate  violence  and  duration  and,  to  use 
one  of  the  mystical  phrases  of  a physician  of  New  Or- 
leans in  a company  of  ladies,  were  “ sporadic,”  I had 
made  up  my  mind  that  the  fever  was  imported,  and  a 
legitimate  descendant  of  the  bulam  fever.  The  in- 
timacy with  which  I was  honored  of  Dr.  Rush,  who 
often  urged  strong  reasons  against  the  probability  of 
importation,  did  not  alter  the  conviction  derived  from 
other  sources  of  information  and  other  reasonings  of 
an  opposite  character.  Having  had  myself  and  seen 
many  of  my  acquaintances  labor  under  very  severe 
bilious  fevers,  I could  not  be  made  to  comprehend  that 
this  disease,  the  autumnal  fever,  and  the  yellow  fever, 
of  which  so  many  cases  came  under  my  immediate  ob- 
servation, were  the  same,  differing  only  in  degrees  of 
malignity. 


239 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 

I have  now  resided  in  New  Orleans  from  the  com- 
mencement of  this  dreadful  pestilence  until  it  has  con- 
sumed or  driven  away  the  majority  of  those  whom  ex- 
perience has  proved  to  be  most  subject  to  it — the  young 
strangers — and  until,  in  the  opinion  of  several  physi- 
cians, the  number  of  cases  had  diminished  for  the  same 
reason  that  a fire  abates — when  most  of  the  fuel  is 
consumed. 

Early  in  July,  or  in  the  latter  end  of  June,  a vessel 
arrived  from  the  Havana,  in  the  river,  on  board  of 
which,  as  it  was  reported  to  the  governor  by  his  physi- 
cian, there  existed  a suspicion  of  yellow  fever.  The  old 
quarantine  law  having  been  repealed  at  the  last  session 
of  the  Legislature,  and  power  given  to  the  governor  to 
establish  a quarantine  whenever,  in  his  opinion,  danger 
of  the  importation  of  disease  should  exist,  this  vessel 
was  immediately  put  under  a quarantine  of  twenty  days; 
and  although  it  was  publicly  stated  that  no  single  per- 
son on  board  was  sick  until  he  became  so  from  con- 
finement on  board — and  several  very  respectable  citizens 
were  passengers — the  quarantine  was  strictly  enforced. 
Two  sailors,  however,  were  said  to  have  reached  the 
city  from  this  vessel,  one  of  whom  died  in  the  Fau- 
bourg Marigny  and  the  other  in  the  Faubourg  St. 
Mary.  From  that  time,  rumors  of  yellow-fever  cases 
became  daily  more  frequent,  and  by  the  beginning  of 
August  it  was  a matter  of  notoriety  that  the  disease  did 
exist.  Every  notice,  however,  of  the  calamity  was  care- 

240 


LOUISIANA  LIMITATIONS 


fully  kept  out  of  the  newspapers.  I asked  one  of  the 
editors  from  what  motive  this  omission  arose;  his  an- 
swer was  that  the  principal  profit  of  a newspaper  aris- 
ing from  advertisements,  the  merchants,  their  principal 
customers,  had  absolutely  forbid  the  least  notice  of 
fever,  under  a threat  that  their  custom  should  otherwise 
be  withdrawn;  thus  sacrificing  to  commercial  policy  the 
lives  of  all  those  who,  believing  from  the  silence  of  the 
public  papers  that  no  danger  existed,  might  come  to 
the  city. 

From  the  beginning  of  August  to  the  19th  of 
September,  the  deaths  increased  from  ten  or  twelve  to 
forty-six  (the  greatest  number  which  I could  ascertain 
with  tolerable  correctness)  a day.  It  was  currently 
stated  that  on  one  day  fifty-three  had  been  buried,  and 
it  is  not  improbable.  But  no  exact  register  is  anywhere 
kept  of  deaths  and  burials;  and  uncertainty  on  this  sub- 
ject is  inevitable  on  many  accounts.  Those  buried  by 
the  Catholic  Church  may  be  correctly  known,  for  Cath- 
olics in  general  consider  the  funeral  rites  as  necessary  to 
the  future  state  of  the  soul  of  the  deceased;  and  the 
poorest  blacks  take  care  to  bring  the  corpse  to  the 
church,  to  take  advantage  of  the  ceremony  which  may 
be  performed  for  some  richer  person.  But  many 
others,  not  Catholics,  are  buried  without  the  interfer- 
ence of  any  clergyman — in  three  cases  to  my  own 
personal  knowledge.  Others,  buried  by  the  Metho- 
dist, Presbyterian,  or  Episcopal  ministry,  render  an 

241 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


inquiry  very  difficult  and  laborious,  and  neither  my 
time  nor  my  health  permitted  my  entering  into  it  as 
I wished. 

Early  in  July  the  cotton  and  tobacco  crops  of  the 
upper  country,  constituting  the  principal  materials  of 
the  commerce  of  New  Orleans,  and  by  far  the  greatest 
part,  have  arrived,  and  have  been  disposed  of  either 
by  shipment  to  Europe  or  to  the  Atlantic  States.  The 
new  crops  do  not  arrive  until  the  latter  part  of  October 
or  beginning  of  November.  The  principal  merchants, 
therefore,  calculate  their  operations  easily  so  as  to  find 
themselves  at  leisure  about  the  commencement  of  July. 
A very  large  proportion  of  the  commercial  community, 
from  October  to  July,  consists  of  strangers,  who  pur- 
chase or  sell,  as  agents  or  principals,  and  leave  the  city 
when  their  business  is  concluded;  so  that,  even  if  no 
disease,  or  fear  of  disease,  existed,  the  population  would 
at  that  time  be  annually  diminished  by  8,000  or  10,000 
souls,  just  as  it  is  at  the  close  of  the  great  fairs  of  Ger- 
many in  the  cities  where  they  are  held.  Those  per- 
manent inhabitants  of  New  Orleans  who  can  afford  it, 
and  dread  the  fever,  the  solitude,  and  the  ennui  of  the 
city  during  July,  August,  and  September,  go  to  the  Bay 
of  St.  Louis,  or  to  other  places  of  public  resort  at 
that  period,  and  do  not  return  until  the  middle  of  Octo- 
ber or  beginning  of  November.  In  these  respects  New 
Orleans  does  not  differ,  excepting  in  degree,  from  the 
great  cities  south  of  New  York  on  the  Atlantic.  Phil- 

242 


LOUISIANA  LIMITATIONS 

adelphia,  Baltimore,  Washington,  Norfolk,  and  Rich- 
mond, and  more  especially  Charleston  and  Savannah, 
have  their  sickly  season  during  the  same  months. 
Bilious  fevers  are  the  common  disorder,  and  the  wealthy 
fly  to  the  country.  The  locality  of  New  Orleans  may 
render  the  unhealthiness  of  the  place  more  decided;  but 
the  strangers’  fever  has  been  dreaded  and  spoken  of 
long  before  New  Orleans  became  an  object  of  particular 
notice  by  falling  into  the  possession  of  the  United 
States.  But  this,  I think,  is  a specific  and  not  a mere 
bilious  fever.  I am  told  by  the  physicians  of  the  place 
that  no  year  passes  in  which  cases  of  yellow  fever  do 
not  occur,  although  in  some  years  they  are  much  rarer 
than  in  others.  The  year  1817  was  remarkable  as  a 
year  of  great  mortality,  especially  among  the  strangers. 
The  late  rise  of  the  river  and  its  uncommon  height,  even 
in  the  month  of  August,  accumulated  and  detained  in 
the  city  a very  unusual  number  of  boatmen  and  mer- 
chants, or  proprietors,  from  the  upper  country,  and 
consequently  occasioned  a later  residence  in  the  city  of 
its  commercial  inhabitants.  But  in  1818  the  cases  were 
few,  and  it  must  be  generally  observed  that  physicians 
have  a great  propensity  to  call  every  case  of  fever  a 
case  of  yellow  fever.  If  the  patient  recovers,  the  cure 
of  that  fatal  disorder  adds  to  the  reputation  of  the 
physician;  if  he  dies,  his  death  detracts  nothing  from 
his  credit,  because  the  majority  of  such  cases  are  fatal. 
The  public  also,  without  fault  of  the  physicians,  take 

243 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


it  for  granted  that  every  funeral  is  that  of  a yellow 
fever  patient. 

I have  had  many  opportunities  of  knowing  correctly 
the  symptoms  of  the  disorder  as  they  appear  this  year, 
and  of  the  principal  as  well  as  unsuccessful  result  of  the 
treatment  employed  for  its  cure  by  different  physicians. 
In  the  boarding  house  in  which  I lodged  four  cases 
occurred.  All  were  cured.  Most  of  my  workmen  were 
attacked  with  different  degrees  of  virulence.  The  sober 
lived;  the  drunk  died,  with  few  exceptions. 

Mr.  Ritchie,  a most  respectable  merchant  and  ami- 
able man,  was  seized  in  the  middle  of  the  night  with 
a chill  and  with  violent  vomiting  of  yellow  and  green 
and  slimy  matter.  Pains  in  the  head,  back,  and  limbs 
succeeded,  with  the  skin  dry,  feverish,  and  pulse  often 
slower,  often  quicker  than  natural.  For  seven  or  eight 
days  he  continued  in  the  same  irritable  state  of  stomach, 
unable  to  retain  anything.  Dr.  Rice  administered  an 
emetic  and  a cathartic,  I believe,  the  first  day,  but  with- 
out apparent  good  effect.  By  the  advice  of  Dr.  Mar- 
shal, when  all  hope  was  lost,  he  was  put  into  the  cold 
bath  (the  coldest  water  is  not  below  55 ° F.).  From 
that  time  he  began  to  improve,  his  stomach  gradually 
retained  some  food,  and  in  ten  or  twelve  days  he  could 
sit  up  and  walk  about  the  house.  I left  him  very  weak, 
but  considered  as  quite  out  of  danger. 

Mr.  Thorne  complained  unduly,  at  breakfast,  of 
pain  in  his  head  and  back,  but  went  to  his  business. 

244 


LOUISIANA  LIMITATIONS 


At  dinner  he  said  he  felt  very  unwell,  and  as  he  did 
not  sleep  in  the  house,  he  asked  Mrs.  Kennedy,  the 
mistress  of  the  house,  to  accommodate  him  with  a bed. 
She  had  none  unoccupied,  but  he  lay  down  on  a sofa, 
and  as  he  complained  of  chilliness,  he  was  wrapped  up 
in  a flannel  dressing  gown.  He  soon  broke  out  into 
a violent  perspiration,  so  as  to  wet  all  his  clothes 
through  and  through.  He  was  then  sent  home,  took 
a strong  cathartic  and  emetic,  and  in  four  days  was  able 
to  attend  to  his  business. 

Dr.  Rice,  lately  arrived,  and  having  the  care  of  my 
sick  workmen,  in  order  to  prepare  himself,  took,  with- 
out any  particular  complaint,  a mercurial  cathartic,  and 
I think  disordered  his  health  thereby  so  as  to  render 
further  medical  treatment  necessary.  He  attended  Mr. 
Ritchie  and  his  other  patients,  however,  till  he  was 
seized  with  slight  pain  in  the  back  and  head,  and  a pro- 
pensity to  vomit.  He  was  then  obliged  to  keep  to  his 
bed,  and  continued  much  debilitated,  but  without  vio- 
lent symptoms  of  any  sort,  and  considered  himself  well 
when  I left  New  Orleans. 

Maria,  a black  slave,  was  suddenly  seized  with 
pains  in  her  limbs,  back  and  head,  a dry  skin,  and  most 
violent  fever.  Dr.  Rodgers  administered  a strong 
cathartic  and  bled  her.  In  three  days  her  complaint 
vanished,  leaving  her  only  debilitated. 


245 


CHAPTER  XII 


FRAGMENTARY  CRITICISM 

IT  is  often  said  that  as  we  grow  older  we  become 
more  hard-hearted,  and  wear  out  the  finer  and 
benevolent  feelings  of  youth.  That  this  is  the 
fact  cannot  be  denied;  but  if  it  were  differently  stated  it 
would  not  be  less  true  and  would,  perhaps,  be  explained 
as  well  as  stated.  As  we  grow  older,  we  grow  wiser; 
that  is,  we  find  that  many  of  the  benevolent  feelings  of 
youth  are  feelings  which  the  objects  on  which  they  are  be- 
stowed could  not  possibly  excite  if  they  were  not  viewed 
in  a false  light  and  presumed  to  be  different  from  what 
they  are.  These  feelings,  then,  belong  not  so  much 
to  the  objects  as  to  the  minds  and  hearts  in  which  they 
grow.  As  we  grow  older  we  know  by  experience  the 
cut  and  color  of  the  cloaks  that  are  worn  to  hide  every 
piece  of  imposture.  To  the  young  they  are  new,  and 
no  fact  respecting  human  nature  is  more  verified  by  its 
uniform  occurrence  than  that  no  one  will  avail  himself 
of  any  experience  but  his  own.  If  this  is  the  case  in 
the  common  course  of  society,  in  which  the  false  ap- 
pearances which  excite  benevolent  feeling  in  the  young 

246 


FRAGMENTARY  CRITICISM 


are  of  daily  occurrence  and  daily  detection,  where  these 
feelings  operate  in  respect  to  individuals  that  are  before 
our  eyes  and  whose  conduct  and  circumstances  we  may 
daily  watch  and  investigate,  what  must  it  be  in  respect 
to  nations  at  a distance,  whose  manners  and  vices  and 
virtues  we  know  only  from  books,  and  those  books  com- 
piled from  hearsay  and  very  often  with  a view  to  create 
or  uphold  a particular  system  of  philosophy. 

I remember  the  time  when  I was  over  head  and 
ears  in  love  with  Man  in  a State  of  Nature — by  the  bye, 
I never  heard  of  any  fine  theory  spun  together  in  behalf 
of  Woman  in  a State  of  Nature.  Social  compacts  were 
my  hobbies;  the  American  Revolution — I ask  its  pardon, 
for  it  deserves  better  company — was  a sort  of  dawn  of 
the  Golden  Age,  and  the  French  Revolution  the  Golden 
Age  itself.  I should  be  ashamed  to  confess  all  this  if 
I had  not  had  a thousand  companions  in  my  kaleido- 
scopic amusement,  and  those  generally  men  of  ardent, 
benevolent,  and  well-informed  minds,  and  excellent 
hearts.  Alas ! experience  has  destroyed  the  illusion,  the 
kaleidoscope  is  broken,  and  all  the  tinsel  of  scenery 
that  glittered  so  delightfully  is  tarnished  and  turned  to 
raggedness.  A dozen  years’  residence  at  the  repub- 
lican court  at  Washington  has  affected  wonderfully  the 
advance  of  riper  years. 

Chateaubriand,  the  disgrace  of  eloquence  and  of 
talents,  and  many  others  have  founded  their  systems  of 
human  virtue  in  its  most  perfect  and  amiable  state  on 
19  247 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


the  storied  descriptions  of  travelers  of  the  manners, 
customs,  courage,  honesty,  and  independent  spirit  of 
our  North  American  Indians,  of  whom,  by  the  bye,  the 
Choctaws  are  a very  favorable  specimen.  We  hear 
daily,  among  ourselves  and  from  people  who  have  lived 
among  them,  most  high-flown  encomiums  upon  our  red 
brethren,  and  the  most  indignant  expressions  on  the 
subject  of  the  aggression  of  our  frontier  settlements 
against  the  innocent  savages,  and  at  the  systematic 
frauds  committed  by  our  Government  in  treaties  for 
their  lands.  I have,  therefore,  lately  been  pretty  in- 
quisitive on  their  subject;  and  adding  all  that  I have 
read  in  books,  from  Father  Hennepin  down  to  Will- 
iam Darby,  Esq.,  to  what  I have  heard  in  conversation 
respecting  them,  I have  almost  established  an  opinion 
as  to  their  value  in  a moral  and  political  point  of  view, 
in  my  own  mind. 

The  virtues  which  the  social  compact  makers  are 
unanimous  in  attributing  to  man  in  a state  of  nature — 
that  is,  to  our  North  American  savages — are  courage, 
hospitality,  love  of  mirth,  love  of  freedom.  The 
Choctaws  have  credit  for  two  others — chastity  and 
honesty.  On  the  debit  side  stand,  and  I believe  with 
the  consent  of  these  gentlemen,  ferocity,  cruelty  to  their 
captives,  idleness,  and  generally  theft,  ill  treatment  of 
their  women.  Without  going  further,  I should  con- 
ceive the  account  to  be  pretty  nearly  balanced. 

The  courage  of  a savage  is  a very  different  kind 
248 


FRAGMENTARY  CRITICISM 


of  courage  from  that  of  a civilized  being.  I do  not 
know  that  they  have  ever  exhibited  courage  in  the  open 
attack  of  an  enemy  or  in  resistance  when  attacked  in 
the  open  field.  But  they  undoubtedly  stand  first  on  the 
list  in  respect  to  fortitude  under  privation  and  under 
the  most  cruel  tortures.  But  in  this  respect  they  must 
admit  many  individuals  of  other  nations  to  a participa- 
tion of  their  merit.  Their  superiority  consists  in  the 
virtue  of  being  national,  in  its  being  generally  possessed 
by  every  individual,  and  that  those  who  shrink  under 
torture  are  exceptions.  Now,  the  force  of  education  and 
the  power  of  opinion  have  produced  martyrs  in  every 
country,  to  whose  fortitude  nothing  that  the  Indians 
have  exhibited  at  the  stake  is  superior.  But  the  mass  of 
most  other  nations  have  given  up  their  opinions  gener- 
ally to  force,  and  the  martyrs  form  the  exceptions. 
The  Jews,  however,  may  be  considered  as  national 
martyrs. 

Hospitality  exists  everywhere  where  food  cannot  be 
bought  or  sold.  A good  market  in  the  neighborhood 
always  puts  an  end  to  it.  The  Choctaws,  who  live  on 
the  roads,  from  Natchez  to  Nashville,  for  instance, 
though  they  will  not  hold  your  horse  or  fetch  his  food 
for  you,  that  being  beneath  the  dignity  of  freemen,  take 
good  care  that  you  shall  not  depart  without  paying 
for  it. 

I do  not  think  it  worth  while  to  follow  up  the  argu- 
ment. But  unpopular  and  unfeeling  as  the  orator 

249 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 

would  be  held  that  would  defend  the  anti-Indian  side 
of  the  question,  I think  that  it  might  be  triumphantly 
maintained  that  the  sum  of  human  happiness  would  be 
greater,  in  the  same  space,  if  the  Indians  did  not  exist 
and  the  country  were  peopled  by  a civilized  nation ; and 
that  there  would  also  be  a greater  sum  of  moral  good 
and  less  odious  vice  among  the  latter  than  among  ten 
tribes  of  the  former.  I am  not  now  speaking  of  Mexi- 
cans, Peruvians,  or  Tahitians,  but  of  our  scalping- 
women  and  child-murdering  North  American  Indians. 

A CAMP  MEETING 

Washington,  August  8,  1809. 

I have  always  endeavored  to  prevent  my  wife  from 
being  led  by  her  curiosity  to  attend  the  meetings  of  the 
Methodists.  With  the  most  rational,  but  very  pious 
and  sincere  religious  sentiments,  she  joins  a warmth  of 
imagination  which  might  receive  a shock  if  not  an  im- 
pression from  the  incantations  which  form  the  business 
of  their  assemblies.  A camp  meeting,  however,  is  a 
thing  so  outrageous  in  its  form  and  in  its  practices,  that  I 
resolved  to  go  to  one  held  a few  miles  from  Georgetown 
in  Virginia,  under  the  auspices  of  some  very  good  citi- 
zens— principally  of  Mr.  Henry  Foxall,  the  great  iron 
founder. 

After  traveling  for  about  four  miles  along  the 
Leesburg  road,  a finger  post  pointed  the  way  “ To  the 
camp.”  The  road  lay  through  thick  woods  and  was 

250 


SKETCH  OF  THE  STATUE  OF  THE  RIGHT  HONORABLE  NORBORNE  BERKELEY, 
Baron  de  Botetourt,  Governor-General  of  the  Colony  of  Virginia. 


FRAGMENTARY  CRITICISM 


so  narrow  that  two  carriages  could  pass  each  other  only 
in  very  few  places.  We  met  with  considerable  em- 
barrassment on  this  account  in  passing  a wagon  re- 
turning from  the  camp,  loaded  with  women  and 
children. 

At  the  end  of  three  miles  more  we  began  to  per- 
ceive the  vicinity  of  the  camp,  in  parties  of  well-dressed 
blacks  of  both  sexes  returning  on  foot  toward  the  city, 
and  of  ill-dressed  white  boys  hurrying  forward.  The 
number  of  those  we  met  increased,  till  at  the  bottom 
of  a hill  we  could  distinguish  among  the  trees,  half- 
concealed  by  the  underwood,  horses,  chairs,  light 
wagons,  hacks,  and  a crowd  of  men  and  women,  among 
whom  we  presently  arrived.  A narrow  road  wound 
among  the  trees,  closely  lined  on  both  sides  with  horses 
and  carriages,  and  their  riders  and  drivers.  Some 
of  the  horses  were  tied  to  the  bushes,  others  fed  out 
of  the  bottoms  of  the  carriages  the  doors  of  which 
were  opened.  A numerous  party  of  horsemen,  always 
arriving  or  departing,  galloped  with  little  attention  to 
the  convenience  of  those  on  foot  backward  and  for- 
ward. Bands  of  negresses,  mulattoes  tastily  dressed, 
stood  among  the  trees,  and  the  groups  looked  as  if  any 
motive  but  religious  ones  had  assembled  them.  Having 
driven  on  till  we  had  passed  the  principal  concourse  to 
a place  where  the  carriage  could  be  turned,  we  alighted 
and  walked  back  along  the  road  for  about  200  yards, 
following  the  distant  sounds  of  an  orator  in  full  cry, 

251 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE' 


accompanied  by  the  groans  and  ecstasies  of  a numerous 
congregation.  Crossing  a small  and  muddy  brook,  we 
at  length  reached  the  camp,  the  site  of  which  was 
well  chosen.  It  was  placed  on  the  descent  of  a narrow 
ridge,  at  the  foot  of  which  ran  a small  stream,  abound- 
ing in  springs  and  furnishing  the  necessary  conveniences 
of  water. 

We  entered  the  concourse  and  were  proceeding 
toward  the  stage  when  a constable,  whose  office  was 
designated  by  a label  upon  his  hat,  stopped  us,  and  told 
us  that  no  ladies  could  be  admitted  on  that  side.  We 
accordingly  went  back,  and  passing  between  the  two 
rows  of  tents  arrived  at  the  upper  part  of  the  theater 
whence  everything  could  be  seen  and  heard.  There 
we  stayed  about  an  hour,  during  which  Mr.  Munn, 
a blacksmith  at  Georgetown,  one  of  the  most  eminent 
preachers  of  the  Methodists,  spoke  with  immense 
rapidity  and  exertion  to  the  following  effect.  Indeed 
what  I shall  put  down  is  literally  what  he  said  as  far 
as  it  goes,  although  not  one-fourth  of  what  I heard 
of  the  same  sort,  out  of  his  mouth. 

It  appeared  that  his  subject  was  the  preaching  of 
St.  Paul  before  Felix  and  Festus.  He  was  in  the  midst 
of  his  discourse,  when  I heard  him  exclaim : 

“ Temperance,  temperance,  temperance,  I say,  and 
so  says  St.  Paul;  temperance — not  self-denial,  no,  he 
asks  no  favors  of  you,  no,  only  temperance,  and  what  is 
temperance  ? Paul  had  no  communication  with  women, 

252 


FRAGMENTARY  CRITICISM 

none  at  all.  Peter  carried  about  with  him  a sister  named 
Lucilla ; I suppose  she  was  his  wife,  else  he  had  no  busi- 
ness with  her.  This  I call  temperance.  One  woman 
was  enough  for  Peter,  St.  Paul  wanted  none  at  all. 
This  is  temperance  in  women — faithful  to  one  woman, 
your  wife.  Then  temperance  in  eating;  eat  enough 
and  drink  enough  to  enjoy  it,  not  to  gluttony  or  drunk- 
enness. St.  Paul  asks  no  favors  of  you;  eat  while  it 
does  you  good,”  etc.,  etc.  Then  he  spoke  of  the  judg- 
ment to  come.  “ That’s  the  point,  the  judgment  to 
come.  When  the  burning  billows  of  hell  wash  up  against 
the  soul  of  the  glutton  and  the  miser,  what  good  do  all 
his  victuals  and  his  wine,  and  his  bags  of  gold?  Do  they 
allay  the  fiery  torment,  the  thirst  that  burns  him,  the 
parching  that  sears  his  lips?  Do  they  frighten  away 
old  Satan,  who  is  ready  to  devour  him  ? — think  of  that. 
There’s  the  judgment  to  come,  when  hell  gapes  and  the 
fire  roars.  O poor  sinful  damned  souls,  poor  sinful 
souls,  all  of  you,  will  ye  be  damned,  will  ye,  will  ye, 
will  ye  be  damned?  No,  no,  no,  no,  don’t  be  damned; 
now  you  pray  and  groan  and  strive  with  the  Spirit.” 
A general  groaning  and  shrieking  was  now  heard  from 
all  quarters,  which  the  artful  preacher  immediately 
suppressed  by  returning  to  his  text.  “ And  it  was  with 
Festus,  he  trembled,  he  trembled,  he  trembled.”  Dur- 
ing these  words  the  preacher  threw  out  both  his  arms 
sideways  at  full  length,  and  shook  himself  violently,  so 
as  to  make  his  arms  quiver  with  astonishing  velocity. 

253 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


He  must  have  practiced  this  trick  often,  for  he  intro- 
duced it  with  great  success  and  propriety  several  times 
afterwards.  “ He  trembled,  every  bone  shook;  he 
strove,  he  strove  with  this  spirit,  and  he  was  almost 
overcome;  but  he  conquered,  he  was  afraid  of  the 
Jews,  saving  grace  was  not  for  him,”  etc. 

At  this  part  we  were  turned  out.  On  reaching  the 
upper  part  of  the  camp,  I found  him  further  advanced 
in  his  business.  A general  groaning  was  going  on — 
in  several  parts  of  the  camp  women  were  shrieking,  and 
just  under  the  stage  there  was  an  uncommon  bustle  and 
cry,  which  I understood  arose  from  some  persons  who 
were  under  conversion. 

He  was  preaching  thus:  “There,  there  stands  an 
unconverted  coxcomb;  dress  is  his  god  and  his  delight; 
will  it  help  him  then  when  he  must  face  the  fiery  gulf, 
when  he  cries  mercy,  mercy,  mercy,  and  there  is  no 
mercy?  When  hell  burns  and  roars,  what  then  is  his 
smartness  and  his  buckishness.  Of  no  use,  none,  not 
any,  any  use  to  allay  hell  fire,  which  calls  for  him  to 
devour  him.  But  there  I see  another — a woman.  Oh, 
how  grace  strives  and  the  Spirit  works ! Oh  for  power, 
power,  power;  see  how  her  bosom  heaves  and  throbs, 
how  her  whole  frame  is  agitated,  how  the  tears  start  in 
her  eyes,  how  they  burst  forth ! O my  brethren,  pray 
for  her,  pray  for  her;  see  how  she  trembles,  how  she 
trembles  [there  he  repeated  his  trembling],  how  she 
trembles.  And  now  comes  the  stroke  of  grace,  the 

254 


FRAGMENTARY  CRITICISM 


stroke  [every  time  he  pronounced  the  word  he  struck 
his  right  hand  into  his  left  palm  so  as  to  produce  an 
astonishingly  loud  clap],  the  stroke  again  and  another 
stroke,  another  stroke  [repeated  about  twenty  times]  ; 
and  now  it  works,  it  works,  it  works.  O God ! for 
power,  power,  power,  power,  power,  power,  power, 
power,  power  [roaring  like  a bull].  There  it  is,  now 
she  has  it,  she  has  it ! Glory,  glory,  glory,  glory,”  etc. 
By  this  time  the  noise  of  the  congregation  was  equal  to 
that  of  the  preacher,  and  he  took  the  opportunity  to  re- 
ceive and  drink  a glass  of  water,  of  which  he  seemed  to 
stand  in  very  great  need,  for  he  was  quite  exhausted. 

He  then  proceeded  in  a mild  voice.  “ And  now 
God  bless  you,  my  dear  souls,  my  dear,  dear  fellow- 
sinners;  I have  only  one  favor  to  ask  of  you,  only  one 
favor;  God  bless  you,  my  dear  souls,  don’t  refuse  me, 
God  bless  you,  don’t;  only  one  favor,  only  one,  one 
small  favor  which  I beg  and  entreat  you  to  grant; 
and  pray,  my  dear  brethren,  pray  do  not  be  so  hard- 
hearted as  to  refuse  me;  it  is  only  one  favor,  only  one; 
do  not  refuse  it;  God  help  you  my  dear  brethren.” 
These  repetitions  occupied  a long  time  till  everyone 
was  silent  and  curious  to  know  what  the  favor  was. 
“ Only  one  small  favor — pray  with  me,  pray  with  me 
[raising  his  voice  by  degrees  to  a perfect  roar],  pray, 
pray,  pray  with  me.  Oh  how  it  stirs,  oh  how  it  presses 
and  works  upon  you.  As  sure  as  God  is  in  heaven, 
He  is  here  and  presses  us  to  pray.  Are  there  not 

255 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


twenty,  not  thirty  to  join  me?  God  bless  you,  don’t  re- 
fuse me;  so  pray.  God  is  here;  He  will  have  it;  don’t 
strive  with  the  Spirit.  Give  it  way,  there  it  comes; 
I know  it,  I feel  it  as  sure  as  God  is  in  heaven.  See 
how  you  resist;  but  you  can’t  resist,  give  way;  and  now 
for  power,  power,  power,”  etc. 

He  soon  again  exhausted  himself  and  drank  some 
more  water.  After  which,  in  the  true  bathos  style, 
he  said  in  a colloquial  tone  that  the  managers  would 
go  round  and  collect  money  for  the  expenses  of  estab- 
lishing the  camp,  the  balance  to  be  applied  to  the 
building  of  a meeting  house  in  the  neighborhood. 

As  it  soon  afterwards  threatened  to  rain,  we  got 
into  the  carriage  to  return  home,  and  driving  on  the 
road  we  were  overtaken  by  the  most  violent  storm  of 
thunder,  lightning,  and  rain  of  the  season.  Henry,  our 
son,  who  remained  at  the  camp  till  midnight,  reported 
that  the  conversions  were  numerous,  and  in  the  same 
hysterical  style  in  all  the  tents,  and  that  the  negroes 
after  the  camp  was  illuminated  sang  and  danced  the 
Methodist  turnabout  in  the  most  indefatigable  and  en- 
tertaining manner. 

Enthusiasm  has  its  charms,  and  as  this  is  the  only 
public  diversion  in  which  the  scattered  inhabitants  of 
the  country  can  indulge,  it  would  be  a pity  to  suppress 
it,  even  by  the  ridicule  to  which  it  is  so  open.  The 
night  scenery,  the  illumination  of  the  woods,  the  novelty 
of  a camp,  especially  to  the  women  and  children,  the 

256 


FRAGMENTARY  CRITICISM 


dancing  and  singing,  and  the  pleasure  of  a crowd,  so 
tempting  to  the  most  fashionable,  are  in  fact  enjoy- 
ments which  human  nature  everywhere  provides  for 
herself,  in  her  most  savage  as  well  as  most  polished 
state.  Let  the  congregation  rejoice  and  welcome.  But 
as  to  the  preacher,  who  lives  by  such  dishonest  means — 
“ to  his  own  Master  he  standeth  or  falleth.” 

CONVENTIONS  IN  WRITING 

May  22,  1797. 

One  of  the  most  sensible  and  agreeable  women  I 
have  ever  known  objected  to  Shakespeare’s  plays  in 
general,  as  containing  expressions  highly  offensive  to 
modesty,  and  to  “ Othello,”  in  particular,  as  not  only 
violating  decency  in  the  dialogue,  but  good  manners, 
and  even  the  character  attributed  to  the  hero,  in  the 
circumstance  of  his  striking  Desdemona  in  a fit  of  jeal- 
ousy. It  was  impossible  to  deny  the  first  charge,  of 
indelicacy.  Such  expressions  as  fall  from  the  mouth 
of  Iago,  Brabantio,  and  Othello  himself  are  shocking 
in  themselves,  and  must  always  have  appeared  so  to 
the  young  and  the  female  hearers.  But  I ventured  to 
excuse  our  favorite  poet  by  stating  the  great  difference 
between  the  manners  of  our  day  and  those  of  Shake- 
speare’s. It  is  certainly  a great  improvement  of  man- 
ners that  teaches  us  to  shun  the  appearance  of  licen- 
tiousness and  to  be  shocked  at  its  expression,  and  so  far 
Mrs.  Wood  had  certainly  the  advantage  had  the  argu- 

257 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 

ment  been  whether  or  no  our  manners  are  more  favor- 
able to  virtue  than  those  of  former  times;  and  she  was 
perfectly  right  in  asserting  that,  to  decide  upon  these 
expressions  as  they  now  appear  to  us,  and  especially 
to  those  who  have  not,  by  long  study,  brought  them- 
selves to  conceive  that  they  are  living  in  the  time  and 
among  the  contemporaries  of  the  author  they  are  read- 
ing, we  must  at  once  condemn  them  as  highly  indecent 
and  improper  to  be  read  or  heard. 

By  degrees,  however,  the  field  of  discussion  en- 
larged itself.  I found  it  necessary  to  attempt  the  proof 
that  Shakespeare  did  not  so  much  violate  the  decency 
of  the  manners  of  his  age  as  ladies  of  the  correct 
delicacy  of  Virginia  may  suppose. 

“ The  Merry  Wives  of  Windsor  ” was  written  in 
the  days  of  Queen  Elizabeth.  The  Bible  was  trans- 
lated in  the  reign  of  James  I,  perhaps  twenty  years 
after.  I mean  no  disrespect  to  that  book  when  I 
say  that  the  translators,  who  were  men  of  great  piety 
and  learning,  and  in  such  a work,  published  for  the 
correction  of  morals  and  manners,  would  no  doubt  be 
as  cautious  as  was  necessary  not  to  give  offense  to 
delicacy,  have  everywhere  used  language  consonant  to 
the  original,  no  doubt,  but  highly  repugnant  to  our 
present  ideas  of  delicacy.  They  certainly  might  have 
avoided  it  by  circumlocution,  or  a different  arrangement 
of  expression;  for  it  happens  that  every  language  with 
which  I am  acquainted  is  on  no  subject  more  ductile 

258 


FRAGMENTARY  CRITICISM 


than  when  common  expressions  are  to  be  rendered  equiv- 
ocally allusive  to  indelicacy,  or  natural  functions,  unfit 
to  be  plainly  mentioned,  are  to  be  intelligently  hinted  at. 
How  little  care  has  been  taken  to  soften  the  necessary 
mention  of  these  things  by  the  translators  of  the  Bible, 
Leviticus  and  Ezekiel  can  fully  show.  The  fact  is,  I 
believe,  that  the  manners  of  the  time  admitted  all  the 
freedom  they  took,  and  no  one  was  offended  thereby. 

I was  proceeding  to  quote  Beaumont  and  Fletcher, 
Dryden  and  Congreve,  but  Mr.  Wood  very  properly 
observed  that,  during  the  reign  of  Charles  II  and  some 
time  afterwards,  the  stage  partook  of  the  profligacy  of 
the  manners  of  the  court;  and  he  might  have  added 
that  even  to  the  moral  authors  of  that  day,  whose 
delicacy  of  expression  when  they  necessarily  mention 
indelicate  subjects  is  no  ways  conspicuous,  the  stage  ap- 
peared to  use  a most  unjustifiable  license  of  language, 
and  that  it  was  thought  highly  disreputable  for  a young, 
modest  woman  to  appear  at  the  theater. 

SOME  NATURAL  PHENOMENA 

The  idea  that  this  continent  is  not  so  old  as  the 
Eastern  Hemisphere  is  by  no  means  new.  All  the  cir- 
cumstances and  appearances  in  the  actual  state  of  the 
geology  and  natural  history  of  North  America  must 
favor  this  opinion.  It  would  only  be  necessary  to  com- 
pare the  whole  map  of  the  country  with  an  equal  map 
on  the  other  side  of  the  Atlantic.  Everything,  how- 

259 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 

ever,  that  I have  seen  of  Virginia  tends  very  much  to 
persuade  me  that  at  all  events  the  country  below  the 
limestone  or  Blue  Ridge  is  much  younger  than  any  coun- 
try I have  seen  before.  It  is  evidently  all  fictitious  and 
has  every  appearance  of  having  been  made  by  immense 
deluges  of  water. 

If,  according  to  the  very  bold,  but  extremely  prob- 
able, and  in  my  mind  almost  certain  theory  of  some 
philosophers,  the  moon  has  been  projected  from  the 
earth,  and  perhaps  occupied  the  space  now  the  Pacific 
Ocean,  I can  easily  imagine  that  the  whole  continent  of 
North  America  from  Greenland  to  Cape  Horn  may 
have  been  raised  up  by  the  immense  mass  starting  from 
it  to  the  westward,  and  as  it  were  leaned  over  to  the 
eastern  continent.  As  soon  as  the  enormous  explosion 
had  taken  place  this  raised  slice  would  fall  back  into 
the  vacuum,  and  its  eastern  edge  would  bring  up  from 
the  bottom  of  the  sea  whatever  it  found  there:  sand, 
shells,  fishes,  etc.,  etc. 

But  perhaps  there  was  at  that  time  no  Atlantic, 
perhaps  no  ocean  anywhere. 

Perhaps  not.  But  the  immense  quantity  of  salt 
water  which  forms  so  great  a part  of  our  globe  was 
somewhere.  If  it  was  in  the  center,  the  explosion  of  so 
large  a portion  of  the  earth’s  crust  would  let  another 
very  large  mass  fall  into  the  water,  which  by  the  prog- 
ress of  the  convulsion  might  again  be  forced  upward, 
and  from  the  exuviae  of  sea  animals  brought  up  with 

260 


FRAGMENTARY  CRITICISM 


it  form  the  limestone  hills,  and  cover  their  slopes  with 
shells  and  marine  substances  as  we  actually  see  them. 

I do  not  pretend  that  this  hypothesis  is  worth  half 
a farthing.  I am  sick  of  pursuing  it.  I hate  hypoth- 
esis making  and  mere  hypothesis  makers.  It  is  a most 
hypocritical  way  of  confessing  ignorance.  When  I sat 
down  to  write  I never  dreamt  of  an  hypothesis,  but 
merely  meant  to  note  an  observation,  minute  indeed 
compared  to  an  explosion  for  the  purpose  of  making 
a moon. 

The  subject  I intended  to  treat  was  the  gradual 
mode  by  which  the  old  valleys  of  this  lower  country 
were  made,  and  by  which  new  valleys  are  daily  making. 

I.  Old  Valleys.  Without  one  exception  I have  ob- 
served that  all  the  brows  of  the  hills  that  are  completely 
rounded  and  point  toward  water  courses,  are  covered 
with  pebbles  and  stones  rounded  by  attrition.  Many  of 
these  pebbles  are  siliceous,  others  quartz  ore,  others  of 
coarse  sand  in  different  states  of  induration,  some  of 
them  being  very  friable.  I believe  the  average  height 
of  these  hills  above  the  level  of  the  great  rivers  may  be 
assumed  at  one  hundred  and  fifty  to  two  hundred  feet. 
The  upper  face  of  the  flat  country  behind  the  edges  of 
the  hills  (that  is,  the  country  between  the  large  rivers 
or  creeks)  is  in  general  covered  with  sand  of  different 
depths.  Where  it  has  any  descent  the  surface  about  the 
clay  commonly  contains  many  pebbles.  In  every  one 
of  these  old  valleys  between  hills  or  banks,  the  sides  or 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


brows  of  which  are  covered  with  pebbles  or  rounded 
stones,  runs  now  a river,  a creek,  a run,  or  a spring 
branch,  which  is  never  quite  dry. 

I should  therefore  suppose  that  the  water  once 
covered  the  whole  of  the  country.  That  while  the  sur- 
face of  the  water  remained  above  the  surface  of  the 
present  highest  land,  it  deposited  the  sand  now  found 
upon  the  highest  levels.  After  some  time  and  from 
some  cause  at  present  unknown,  it  seems  to  have  sunk 
to  a much  lower  level  and  to  have  been  acted  upon  by 
the  influence  of  the  tide,  during  which  time  the  pebbles 
forming  the  brows  of  the  hills  were  rounded  and  thrown 
up  at  high-water  mark  at  spring  tides  in  the  greatest 
quantities,  diminishing  gradually  to  the  mark  of  high 
water  at  neap  tides,  as  in  the  case  in  every  tide  river 
and  on  the  seashore,  and  is  also  universally  the  case  in 
all  the  valleys,  which  I call  the  old  valleys  of  lower 
Virginia.  For  it  rarely  happens  that  the  pebbles  extend 
much  more  than  halfway  down  the  hillsides,  excepting 
where  they  have  evidently  rolled  down  from  the  top, 
or  have  been  washed  down  by  the  rain  or  some  spring. 

During  this  state  of  the  water  the  old  valleys  were 
formed  gradually  by  the  mutual  operation  of  the 
springs  and  the  tides.  Every  spring  formed  at  first  a 
small  gully  in  that  soft  factitious  material  of  which 
the  soil  consists.  This  gully  was  increased  in  rainy  sea- 
son by  the  collections  of  land  water  rushing  down  it. 
The  tide  water  would  of  course  wash  and  round  off  the 

262 


FRAGMENTARY  CRITICISM 


steep  banks  and  wear  the  sharp  points  of  meeting 
gullys  into  round  knolls.  Thus  arose  the  deep  valleys 
of  the  large  rivers,  the  creeks,  the  rivulets  and  the  rills 
arising  from  perennial  springs. 

II.  New  V alleys.  All  this  took  place  before  the 
growth  of  forests  over  the  face  of  the  country.  I say 
took  place  for  I cannot  allow  that  what  I have  said  is 
an  hypothesis,  against  the  evidences  of  the  oyster  banks 
and  the  gravel  knolls. 

The  new  valleys  have  in  general  begun  to  be  formed 
since  the  invasion  of  America  by  the  Europeans,  and 
are  the  consequences  of  the  clearing  and  plowing  of 
the  land.  They  may  be  said  to  be  yet  in  a state  of 
progress  and  ought  properly  to  be  called  only  gullies. 
Some  of  them  are,  however,  so  very  considerable  and 
are  so  rapidly  increasing,  that  we  may  as  well  call  them 
valleys.  They  differ  from  the  old  valleys  in  the  total 
absence  of  gravel,  unless  in  their  bottoms,  and  this  is 
brought  by  the  rain  from  the  sides  of  the  hills,  in  the 
steepness  of  their  sides,  and  in  their  dryness  in  sum- 
mer. They  are  created  in  the  first  instance  by  accidental 
directions  of  land  water  over  surfaces  unbound  by  grass 
or  roots  of  trees.  A path  or  a road  commonly  gives 
them  their  rise.  They  are  so  numerous  and  are  so 
rapidly  increasing  in  this  country  as  to  be  a very  great 
inconvenience.  After  the  rain  has  washed  their  bot- 
toms to  a considerable  depth  the  frost  in  winter  pulls 
down  their  sides  with  great  expedition.  After  a mod- 
20  263 


y 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


erate  frost,  in  which  the  thermometer  stood  at  perhaps 
twenty-six,  for  I have  no  instrument  but  my  feelings, 
I was  passing  by  a gully  which  runs  to  the  north  of  the 
theater  and  heard  a clatter  in  it  which  surprised  me. 
I walked  up  to  it  and  observed  that  the  bank  upon 
which  the  sun  was  shining,  and  which  was  perpendicular, 
was  tumbling  down  with  great  rapidity.  The  sides 
looked  uniformly  to  be  of  clay  with  a small  mixture 
of  gravel,  for  it  was  the  side  of  a hill,  but  when  I 
looked  into  the  bottom  of  the  gully  I saw  nothing 
but  pure  ice  in  a thousand  fragments.  I stepped  a little 
nearer  to  the  edge  and  tumbled  presently  to  the  bottom, 
about  fifteen  feet  down  the  steep  bank,  bringing  with 
me  a stratum  of  ice  and  clay,  which  let  me  into  the 
whole  secret  at  once. 

There  was  first  a complete  surface  of  clay  and 
gravel  about  an  inch  thick  and  so  compact,  though  some- 
what separated  by  the  frost,  that  no  ice  could  be  seen 
through  it.  This  stratum — if  that  which  was  almost 
perpendicular  may  be  called  a stratum — was  succeeded 
by  another  consisting  of  crystals  of  ice  of  irregular 
forms  from  three  inches  to  one  inch  long,  unmixed  with 
earth.  These  crystals  were  fixed  to  and  seemed  to 
have  grown  out  of  the  natural  soil  of  the  bank,  which 
was  smooth  and  compact.  As  soon  as  they  felt  the 
warmth  of  the  sun  and  air  they  fell  into  the  bottom  of 
the  gully  with  the  earth  adhering  to  their  tops.  A 
few  such  nights  would  make  a rapid  progress  in  the 

264 


FRAGMENTARY  CRITICISM 

increase  of  the  gully,  and  indeed  the  whole  of  the 
edge  was  already  undermined  to  the  distance  of  eight 
or  ten  inches,  which  was  the  cause  of  my  fall. 

The  laws  of  frost — and  those  who  have  studied 
them  may,  if  they  please — account  for  the  said  crystalli- 
zation of  water  under  a certain  temperature,  and  in- 
form us  how  the  said  crystallization  came  to  commence 
below  the  immediate  surface,  and  continued  either  by 
attracting  moisture  from  the  air  or  from  the  earth 
to  extend  itself  to  the  length  of  three  inches  in  one 
night. 

Almost  all  the  bottom  of  the  old  valleys  contain 
a new  gully,  sometimes  of  twenty  or  thirty  feet  deep. 

There  is  a very  expeditious  method  of  stopping 
gullies  by  building  a rough  wall  across  them,  or  only 
filling  them  with  brushwood.  The  soil  brought  down  is 
thus  retained  and  in  a short  time  weeds  and  brambles 
grow  in  the  richer  soil,  and  perhaps  restore  the  land 
to  its  original  level.  This  if  done  in  time  would  pre- 
vent many  a great  inconvenience  to  the  traveler,  and 
to  the  farmer.  But  it  is  generally  neglected  till  the 
business  becomes  too  serious  to  be  undertaken. 

AN  ANECDOTE 

General  Dearborn,  Secretary  of  War,  is  a man  of 
plain,  rough  manners,  moderate  understanding,  but  with 
a good  memory  and  quick  observation.  He  has  all 
his  life  been  in  the  service  of  the  public  in  some  way 

2 65 


y 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


or  another,  and  he  was  made  prisoner  at  the  attack  on 
Quebec  during  the  Revolution,  and  afterwards  was  at 
the  siege  of  Yorktown.  Since  then  he  has  practiced  as 
a country  physician,  built  several  lighthouses  by  contract, 
and  is  now  Secretary  of  War.  He  is  not  altogether 
popular  with  the  officers  of  the  army.  Political  prej- 
udices may  do  something,  but  a somewhat  narrow  dis- 
position in  settling  accounts  does  more  to  render  him 
obnoxious.  But  he  is  just  and  honest.  I have  always 
found  him  obliging,  and  probably  as  good  a man  in  the 
present  state  of  our  army  as  could  possibly  be  put  into 
office. 

In  conversation  with  him  to-day  he  happened  to 
mention  that  he  was  at  the  siege  of  Yorktown  in  Vir- 
ginia, most  casually.  I took  this  opportunity  to  ask 
him  whether  he  could  exactly  remember  the  detail  of 
the  late  General  Hamilton’s  conduct  and  merits  at  the 
storming  of  the  fort  to  the  left  of  the  town,  the  capture 
of  which  by  the  Americans  and  of  that  to  the  right  by 
the  French  decided  the  fate  of  the  place. 

His  answer  amounted  to  the  following : “ I was  at 
the  siege  of  Yorktown,”  said  he,  “ deputy  quartermaster 
general.  Lieutenant-Colonels  Hamilton  and  Laurens 
commanded  each  batallion  of  a regiment  of  volunteers, 
of  which  Scamel  who  fell  at  the  siege  was  colonel. 
Hamilton  had  then  the  rank  of  lieutenant-colonel  in 
consequence  of  his  having  belonged  to  General  Wash- 
ington's family.  Laurens  was  then  one  of  the  general’s 

266 


FRAGMENTARY  CRITICISM 


aides-de-camp.  There  existed  at  that  time  a slight  cool- 
ness between  Generals  Washington  and  Hamilton. 
When  the  attack  on  the  two  forts  was  resolved  upon, 
the  second  parallel  was  not  yet  completed,  and  it  was 
thought  that  the  possession  of  these  redoubts  would 
perhaps  conclude  the  siege,  or  at  least  enable  the  be- 
siegers to  commence  the  third  parallel  immediately. 

General  Washington  had  appointed  Colonel  Lau- 
rens to  command  a party  intended  to  storm  the  fort  to 
the  right  of  the  besiegers.  This  induced  Hamilton  to 
examine  the  roster,  and  he  found  that  regularly  the 
routine  of  command  devolved  upon  himself,  Laurens 
having  commanded  the  preceding  night  in  the  trenches. 

The  party  were  already  in  the  field  when  this  dis- 
covery was  made.  Hamilton,  however,  repaired  im- 
mediately to  the  general’s  tent,  and  stated  that  of  right 
the  command  devolved  upon  him,  not  upon  Colonel 
Laurens.  General  Washington  acknowledged  that  he 
might  be  correct,  that  dispositions  were  now  made,  the 
necessary  orders  given  and  they  could  not  be  well  al- 
tered. Hamilton  then  demanded  the  command  as  of 
right,  and  even  threatened  to  lay  his  case  before  Con- 
gress. Washington,  contrary  to  his  usual  disposition 
and  conduct,  yielded;  Hamilton  commanded  the  party, 
and  Colonel  Laurens  went  as  a volunteer. 

A forlorn  hope  of  twenty-five  men  were  chosen 
for  the  attack,  and  advanced.  The  American  pioneers 
soon  leveled  the  counterscarp  a few  feet  in  width,  the 

267 


THE  JOURNAL  OF  LATROBE 


palisades  were  cut  down — having  previously  been  much 
destroyed  by  the  batteries — a few  fascines  were  thrown 
into  the  ditch,  and  the  rampart  immediately  stormed. 
Of  the  forlorn  hope  who  achieved  the  affair,  about  five 
were  killed  and  fifteen  wounded.  The  rest  of  the  party 
with  Hamilton  at  their  head  arrived  to  take  possession. 
It  is  usually  supposed  that  Hamilton  led  the  storming 
party.  He  did  his  duty  but  he  did  not  lead  it.  He 
had  no  opportunity  to  go  beyond  what  his  duty 
called  for. 


i/envoi 

It  is  impossible  for  me  to  deny  that  I have  upon  the 
whole  enjoyed  much  happiness  and  success  in  the  course 
of  my  life,  and  yet — I confine  my  observations  at  present 
to  myself,  who  am  naturally  of  a most  cheerful  dis- 
position— I find  infinite  satisfaction  in  grumbling  and 
complaining.  This  is  ungrateful,  for  when  I look  back 
on  my  life  as  upon  a history  I am  puzzled  to  find  the 
cause  of  success  in  a thousand  of  my  undertakings  in 
which  I certainly  did  not  deserve  it.  And  so  has  it 
been  throughout  my  whole  progress  through  the  world 
to  the  present  day.  I would  positively  hesitate,  and 
on  reflection  I am  convinced  that  my  vanity  renders  it 
impossible  for  me  to  write  down  the  actual  facts  of 
my  history,  so  little  do  they  possess  of  merit,  much  less 
of  brilliancy,  yet — I am  absolutely  ashamed  that  it  is 
so — I shall  never  while  the  arts  exist  in  America  hold 

268 


FRAGMENTARY  CRITICISM 


a mean  place  among  the  men  to  whom  merit  is  con- 
ceded. I am  utterly  at  a loss  to  comprehend  how  it 
happened  that  as  I never  stuck  to  anything,  anything 
has  ever  stuck  to  me;  yet  I have  succeeded  and  by  work , 
The  highest  encomium  and  the  most  flattering  I ever 
received  relative  to  my  architectural  efforts,  was  in 
regard  to  the  bank  of  Pennsylvania. 

Walking  up  Second  Street  I observed  two  French 
officers  standing  opposite  the  building  and  looking  at 
it  without  saying  a word.  I stepped  into  Black’s  shop 
and  stood  close  to  them.  After  some  time  one  of  them 
exclaimed  several  times,  “ C’ est  beau , et  si  simple!  ” 
He  said  no  more  and  stood  for  a few  minutes  longer 
before  he  walked  away  with  his  companion.  I do  not 
recollect  distinctly  anything  that  has  happened  that  has 
given  me  so  much  particular  satisfaction. 


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